Three Slayers
by KColl2003
Summary: Xander brings Kendra back to life after Drusilla, the two begin to date and then the third Slayer, Faith arrives.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Three Slayers Rating: R (For Language later) Story: Action\Adventure Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah. E-Mail: KeithWrestle@Yahoo.Co.uk Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar Summary: An answer to Kendra didn't die and got together with Xander challenge on XanderZone.  
Three Slayers - Prologue  
  
Xander let out a relieved gasp as his beloved spluttered back into the life. He'd done it, he'd saved her. The blonde looked past him to the figure in the shadows. "Angel," she whispered and his heart broke for the second time in a day.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wow," Xander muttered at his first sight of the athletic, mocha-skinned beauty stood in the library, her raven-dark wiry hair cascading down her muscular shoulders. His heart hadn't fluttered like was doing right now since, since his first sight of Buffy on the school steps. Pushing aside the feelings of hurt that always arose at the thought of the blonde he walked over to the girl and offered his best smile. "Hi, I'm Xander and you are?"  
  
The girl's coal-black eyes, man he could lose himself in them, widened in terror like a deer's caught in a car's headlights. "Kendra, sir," the girl looked down at the floor.  
  
"Hey," he cast a quizzical look over his shoulder, "I thought there was a teacher behind me for a second there," smiling at the girl's nervous giggle he offered her his hand. "Are you an exchange student?" he was surprised by the tingle that ran through him when she tentatively took his hand.  
  
"No," Xander's head snapped round. For perhaps the first time ever he hadn't noticed Buffy's presence in the room. "She's a Slayer; somebody's been messing with the Slayer line, making extras."  
  
"I could have left you dead," Xander retorted.  
  
"You're the one," Kendra's eyes widened again. "The one who started the second line?"  
  
"I have that -."  
  
Buffy interrupted. "Oh he helped Angel," she said nonchalantly. Usually Buffy's dismissal would have hurt but right now he was too busy staring into the new Slayer's eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kendra!" Xander sprang to his feet and hurried over to the newcomer, a beaming smile firmly in place, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Months had passed since the other Slayer's fleeting appearance but he'd never even looked at another woman. Now it was Kendra and not Buffy that filled his dreams.  
  
"Xander!" a smile brightening her already gorgeous looks, the young girl started forward.  
  
"Kendra! Stay!"  
  
Xander turned his attention to the tall black man stood beside his friend. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded angrily, she wasn't a damn dog.  
  
The man looked at him haughtily. "I am Mr. Zabuto, Kendra's Watcher-."  
  
His suspicion confirmed Xander slammed his forehead into the man's mouth while at the same bringing his knee up into the man's groin. As the man doubled up, Xander grabbed him around the collar and threw him head-first into a near-by bookcase, sending it and the man crashing to the floor. As he made his way over to the sprawled man, Buffy blocked his way, her eyes dancing furiously. "Xander, what are you doing? Have you gone mad?"  
  
"Gee, I don't know Buffy? No computer teachers on my score cards," he was sadistically satisfied when the blonde flinched at his barb, he was sick of them all pandering to her spoilt whims. "No, this bastard is the same shit who used Ken as nothing more than a slave. When he comes round tell him to stay out of my way if he wants to keep walking." Still angry, he turned and stormed out of the library.  
  
"Xander! The spe-."  
  
"I'll be back later!" he shook his head in disgust, soul restoration spells, and he fought a Slayer's job was to kill vampires not cure them.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander groaned as he pushed the bookcase off him. "I wonder what the insurance premiums are like for demon hunters." Using years of parental abuse he forced aside the pain in his arm, it was probably broken, to stand and look down onto the ground floor of the library.  
  
The first thing he noticed was Zabuto, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. No loss. His heart missed a beat when he saw an unconscious Willow then stopped when he saw the blood pouring out of the brown-skinned Slayer's neck. "Kendra!"  
  
Ignoring his own pain he hurried down the first floor steps and knelt beside the Slayer's body. After taking a couple of deep breaths in an effort to calm himself, he pulled off his shirt and pressed it against the wound in an attempt to stem the blood loss. "Xander what happened?"  
  
He looked up angrily to see a shocked-looking Buffy. "Your boyfriend's childe that's what happened! Now call an ambulance!" The dazed blonde didn't move. "Now Buffy!" If Kendra didn't make it, he didn't know what he'd do to Buffy.  
  
* * *  
  
"The young lady died on the way to hospital," Xander felt his legs grow shaky. "But don't worry we were able to revive her. Quite remarkable really, she's healing already."  
  
Xander turned away; there was something he needed to do before he saw Kendra and Willow. As he neared the hospital entrance the full import of the nurse's words hit him. "There's a third Slayer." He'd have to tell G- Man once they'd rescued him.  
  
* * *  
  
"No Ted please don't make me," Faith whimpered as unshed tears burnt her eyes. "You said I was your girl, that you'd take good care of me."  
  
The big man grabbed her by her hair and propelled her into the alley wall. "Listen you little bitch," the twenty year old leaned against her, his weight crushing her and his alcohol-filled breath forcing her to pull her head away and her nose to wrinkle in disgust. "Frankie's promised me a couple of rocks and a C-Note for a night with your fine ass. So you'll do whatever he wants. Otherwise." She screamed as the man grabbed her right breast and roughly twisted it. "Understand?"  
  
It wasn't fair, when she'd first met Ted she'd thought he was so cool, that she'd finally found a guy to look after her. But he was a bastard, just like all of them. Well she wouldn't do it, she wasn't a whore. Suddenly a wave of energy hit her making her entire body itch and her stomach flip flop almost as if she was going to vomit. Then the feeling passed and she felt stronger, more confident than ever before. "No I won't do it."  
  
"That right?" Ted shrugged and smiled. "Well in that case." The man released his grip and stepped back before swinging an open-handed palm at her face. "You'll have to be taught who's the boss."  
  
"I am." She caught the man's hand inches from her face. She smiled crookedly at the man's surprised expression before slamming her heel into the man's right instep shattering the bone. The man's mouth opened but she cut off his scream or curse with an uppercut to the jaw that lifted the man off his feet and sent him crashing into the far wall before sliding into the alley's garbage. Faith grinned in amazement; nobody was going to push her around again - from now on she'd be doing the pushing. "Wicked cool." 


	2. 2

Three Slayers 2- Trust  
  
"I've got to go," Xander glanced at his watch before standing. "I'm meeting Ken at the G-Man's."  
  
"But we've hardly hung out since I got back."  
  
Once the pout that accompanied Buffy's words would have melted his heart and snapped his resolve but now it bounced off him like a bullet off Superman's skin. "Yeah but sometimes people grow apart. Particularly when people run away from their friends and responsibilities," Xander turned away from the stunned Slayer and to the others. "Will, Oz, Cordy, see you at school tomorrow."  
  
Turning he hurried out of the Bronze, still fuming at his exchange with Buffy. The others might fall at Princess Buffy's feet when she saunters back into town after running away for months but not him. He'd seen the hurt on Mrs. Summers' and Giles' faces, remembered how worried they'd all been. If the Council hadn't decided to let Kendra stay they'd have been in real trouble, targets of any vengeful demon wishing to pick them off one by one.  
  
Just the thought of Kendra was enough to make his anger ebb away. They'd bonded during her week long hospital stay, he'd visited her and Willow every day. Then on the day she was to be replaced from hospital, Kendra had kissed him fervently, clumsily, inexpertly, but very passionately. He laughed to himself as he remembered his confusion and the suddenly blushing Slayer explaining that 'Mr. Giles' had told her that it was who had saved her life. Then she'd asked if it was alright if she kissed him again. And they'd been dating ever since.  
  
"Hiya boytoy," a slight yet curvy figure stepped out of the shadows and into the alley light.  
  
* * *  
  
Faith looked at the teen stood in the alley and smirked. She'd only arrived in Sunnydale three days ago and already she was pissed off. She'd come here looking for help from the legendary Buffy Summers and found instead a sneering snob and a gang of sheep. Except for the Xander guy, he was kinda cute in a geeky way, lousy dress sense though, but stealing a rocket launcher from an army base. That was definite potential. "Wanna go party, bang bodies maybe?" she began to swing her slender hips rhythmically and lent slightly forward to give the youth a tempting view of her ample cleavage.  
  
The teen coloured. "As tempting as the offer is I've got a girlfriend."  
  
"So?" she stalked closer to the youth. "She doesn't have to know, does she?"  
  
"Look me and Ken are going to the pictures. Do you want to come along?"  
  
Faith stepped back, her brow furrowed in confusion. She hadn't been rejected by a guy in years; hell she knew she had the goods to turn a gay man straight. And this geek was going to turn her down? On the other hand, she didn't want to go back to the 'roach-pit she was crashing at and be hassled by the manager about how if she couldn't find the rent there were other ways a pretty girl like her could pay her way - the guy was fifty at least, even she had standards. And she wanted to meet the other Slayer too; she couldn't be as bad as the other bitch. Finally she nodded. "Five by five," the Slayer's lips pursed up in disdain as she remembered something, damn she'd have to stop at her crib after all. "I've got to stop off somewhere first."  
  
"No hurry, I've got nearly an hour before I have to meet Ken. I just couldn't stand the air in there anymore."  
  
Faith grinned. "You too uh?"  
  
"You're staying here?"  
  
Faith glared at the guy by her side, the trip to the hotel had been fun, her new-found companion was a witty dude with a ton of entertaining stories about Slaying but that didn't give him the right to criticise. "Look it's all I can afford okay?" she snarled defensively.  
  
The youth raised his hands. "Calm down Faith," the teen said gently. "It wasn't a dig, it's just I saw at least two drug deals going down outside and one hooker propositioning a john. This is no place for -," Xander smiled. "Grab your stuff; I know where you can stay."  
  
Ah here it came, Faith felt her stomach clench. She thought he was a stand- up guy, really just wanted to be her bud. She should have known better. He was the same as all the rest though, only wanted her for one thing, wanted her to move in with him so she'd be 'grateful enough' to do whatever kinky shit he and his friends were into. "With you?" she was careful to keep her tone neutral.  
  
She was surprised when the youth shook his head. "God no, I wouldn't inflict my family on a friend. I figured you could stay with Giles and Ken, he's your Watcher after all." The boy raised an eyebrow. "So are you packing then?"  
  
A friend? Faith hid a grin as she started to pick up the clothing scattered across the floor and the bed. Maybe he was on the level after all. "You helping or what?"  
  
"Help a woman pick up her underwear?" Xander shuddered theatrically. "Don't think so."  
  
Faith winked at the teen. "Would it help if I told you I didn't wear any?"  
  
Xander coloured. "Not really no."  
  
Her laugh died when the hotel room door swung open to reveal the pot- bellied bastard who managed the place, his habitual leer firmly in place. Fuck, she'd forgot to lock the door. "Hello Faithie," the man whined at her, "Have you thought about my offer?" The manager's muddy grey eyes narrowed as he noticed her new friend. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
"A friend of Faith's," Xander's eyes didn't move from the manager. "Got your stuff Faith?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Her friend nodded. "Let's go."  
  
Xander started towards the door only for the manager to block the way. "She's not going anywhere until she's paid off her debt one way or another."  
  
"That right?" Faith blinked as Xander's right fist flicked up and smashed into the man's throat. The manager's face turned purple before he slumped gasping to the floor. "You should pay people to live here not charge. Coming Faith?"  
  
"Yeah Xand, nice punch by the way," she complimented as she stepped over the manager's gasping frame. "Soldier boy?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
* * *  
  
"How come you got a key to the Watcher's house Xand?"  
  
Her new friend shrugged. "Giles gave me a key for when things get too heavy at home."  
  
Too heavy? Sensing her friend's discomfort she changed the subject. "So what's Watcher Guy like?"  
  
"Pretty cool, don't tell him I said that though. I like to keep the G-Man on his toes," the door swung open and the youth leaned into the house. "Ken! G-Man! It's only me," Xander turned to her. "After you Faith."  
  
The Slayer blinked. Polite too, shame he was taken, a smile flickered across her lips, still that shouldn't be a problem; she'd took guys off other girls before. She'd barely stepped into the hall-way when a man appeared in the lounge door-way. Faith gave him the once-over, cute in an older, intelligent kinda way. Maybe doable.  
  
The man smiled politely at her before turning to her friend. "Hello Xander, and who is your friend?"  
  
Xander opened his mouth only to be cut off when a coffee-coloured whirlwind raced downstairs and engulfed the youth in a bear-hug. Ignoring the wave of jealousy that hit her, Faith turned to the older man. "I'm Faith, the new Slayer on the block."  
  
"Really?" the Englishman took off his glasses and began polishing at them with a ferocity that threatened to wear the lenses away. "This is most surprising. And where is your Watcher?"  
  
Faith glanced down at her feet. It still hurt to think about Lorraine, the first person to ever really care about her. She'd planned to lie but now she'd started to trust Xander and if he said the Watcher was five by five. "She's dead."  
  
"Oh dear," the Englishman sounded sympathetic. "And where might you be staying?"  
  
"Here."  
  
The Englishman looked towards her new bud in surprise. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
Xander sighed. "G-Man, she was living in a fleapit of a motel with hookers, winos, junkies, and dealers. Is that any place for a young girl?"  
  
"True, but surely -."  
  
"There's somewhere else? Buffy's? Well she and Buffy haven't exactly hit it off -."  
  
"There's a fucking understatement," Faith muttered, spoilt bitch.  
  
"My place?" the young man continued with a harsh laugh. "The Swiss Family Harris? Well yeah, my dad would love a chance to have a perv. And I can just see Willow or Cordy's folks taking her in. Besides," the teen paused, "you're a Watcher she's your responsibility."  
  
The Englishman let out a groan. "Not one, not two, but three Slayers and a Xander? Surely I wasn't that bad in the seventies." Faith scowled, what the fuck was that supposed to mean? The Englishman turned to her. "Would you have any objection to sharing a room with Kendra?"  
  
Suddenly hesitant, Faith glanced towards her counterpart. She found herself replying to the girl's infectious smile with one of her own. There was just something about the girl she instinctively liked, maybe she wouldn't try and steal Xand from her after all. She nodded and affected a casual tone. "Nah, that's five by five. Just as long as I've got a floor to lie on and a few sheets to keep me warm." She'd slept on far worse.  
  
"A floor?" the Englishman sounded mortally offended. "I think we can do rather better than that. Kendra, can you and Faith go into the attic and get out the camp bed please. Xander, could you join me in the lounge?"  
  
* * *  
  
Giles stared at the youth sat opposite. The rift that had grown between Xander, Kendra, and the others saddened him. He was supposed it was inevitable after Buffy's behaviour, as always Willow had followed Buffy's lead but Xander had been forthright in his criticism and if there was one thing Buffy didn't take well it was criticism. He'd found it difficult to forgive Buffy too, but he had a job to do and Kendra's welfare to consider. And this Faith too apparently. "How sure are you that Faith's a Slayer?"  
  
"I don't know G-Man," Xander's eyes danced with merriment. "Super-hot teen babe with Jackie Chan's moves and Arnie's strength who I happened to see staking a vampire as casual as you or I would clean our teeth. You do the math." The youth's face grew serious. "What worries me is what she's running from."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Look at the facts G-Man." The young man leaned forward, his eyes intent. "What's a sixteen year old east coast girl doing on the west coast specifically looking for Buffy while staying at the worse fleapit in town? Desperate much?"  
  
Giles nodded; as usual Xander showed himself to be rather more perceptive than one would expect given his image. "Do you have any idea what she's running from?"  
  
He was disappointed when the youth shook his head. "I don't know but I'm planning to take her and Ken out tonight, maybe get her to open up a little."  
  
"In that case," Giles dug out his wallet and pulled out a trio of twenty dollar bills. "Take this."  
  
Xander shook his head. "I've got money thanks."  
  
"Xander," Giles kept his tone soft but firm, "I've got plenty of money, my salary as a Watcher and librarian, as well as my family money. Moreover, making Faith feel part of the team is in effect Council business."  
  
That last piece of logic did it. Smiling slightly Xander took the money. "Thanks G-Man."  
  
* * *  
  
"So what's" Faith effortlessly hefted her end of the camp bed, "G's kink?" Kendra looked at her in confusion, Faith attempted to explain. "What's his thing? Does he like to touch or be touched? Or does he just watch?" In her experience guys weren't nice unless they were getting something out of it - well maybe not Xander, maybe. She might as well know the ground rules before she decided if she could stay here.  
  
Kendra looked shocked. "Mr. Giles is a perfect gentleman. He would never do anything unseemly!"  
  
Faith raised a sceptical eyebrow. "My mistake." She supposed it was possible - two nice guys in one city, unlikely though. "What's Xand's story? What's he like when you get pelvic?"  
  
Kendra's face crinkled up in puzzlement. "Get pelvic?"  
  
"In the sack?" Kendra's confused expression didn't clear. "Between the sheets?" she tried again. "You know fucking?" dear god, did her sister Slayer even know the facts of life?  
  
"Ah," Kendra coloured. "We haven't done anything like that, we're taking things slow. Xander wouldn't rush me he's too sweet to do that -."  
  
This was one weird set-up. "So how come," she took the sheets Kendra offered her, "G lets all of the others help?"  
  
"Xander and Willow didn't give Mr. Giles much choice. And Xander is the one who started the second line by giving Buffy CPR after she was drowned by the Master. And the third line by stopping the bleeding in my throat after Drusilla cut my throat."  
  
"No way!" she was definitely sticking close to Xand, if nothing else it would improve her chances of staying alive. "So what's his family like, he's said stuff."  
  
Kendra's face saddened. "I don't know much, I've only been to his house once. His dad was drunk and said I wasn't bad looking for a nigger so we left. I think he hits Xander."  
  
Faith felt a surge of fury. Who the hell did the bastard think he was? "What about you and your family? What do they think about you living with G?"  
  
Her counterpart glanced down at the floor. "Mr. Zabuto took me from my family when I was young, I don't remember them. Mr. Giles and Xander are the nearest I've ever had to family."  
  
Faith's mouth dropped open. No wonder she kinda felt a bond with Kendra and Xand, they all shared the same lousy families. But maybe, she glanced hopefully around the room she now shared with Kendra - she'd never been in such a clean and tidy place, maybe she had a chance at a home now.  
  
* * *  
  
Faith beamed as she walked out of the cinema with her two new friends. She'd had the best night, seen a great movie, had food and drink bought for her, and without having to put out either. And her companions were pretty cool. Xander was wicked funny but real polite too while Kendra had a sort of engaging sweetness that meant she couldn't help but like her. Her with two friends, who'd have thought it? "What next?" they could go to a club or something; she didn't want tonight to end.  
  
Xander glanced at his watch. "It's nearly eleven. You better walk me home and then go home yourselves."  
  
"Walk you home Xman?" Faith pushed aside her disappointment to grin at the teen. "Shouldn't you walk us home and then go home yourself?"  
  
"Not if you're the Slayers and we're living in Sunnydale," Xander replied dryly.  
  
"Five by five," Faith nodded, "but the night's too young to go home yet guys. Can't we hit a club for a few hours," she wheedled.  
  
"Faith!" Kendra sounded scandalised. "Mr. Giles has a strict curfew for us. The nights we don't patrol we have to be in for half past eleven for school."  
  
School? She so didn't like the sound of that; she hadn't been to school since junior high. "School? I don't do -."  
  
"Oh Faith, you don't have to worry about school."  
  
The Slayer's blood chilled as she stared at the hulking figure who'd stepped out of the shadows. Kaktosis, the master vampire who'd killed Lorraine and with a whole bunch of other vamps backing him up. "Run!" grabbing Xander by his arm she yelled to her counterpart. "Down the alley Ken!"  
  
She soon realised they couldn't out-run their pursuers, not with an already heavily-sweating Xander slowing them down. She considered the option of the dumping the male then discarded it, Ken would never go for it, and he'd treated her nice. He deserved better. "Ken in here!" a single kick sent a near-by warehouse door flying. They'd have to make a stand.  
  
"Well Faith," the giant vampire followed them into the warehouse a few seconds later. "You've led up a merry dance. But now it ends," Kaktosis smiled.  
  
Kendra and Xander charged into the fight but Faith was frozen. All she could see was Lorraine's agonised face, all she could hear was her Watcher's screams, and smell was the Englishwoman's flesh burning had tortured her. "Faith, I'm disappointed in you," Kaktosis taunted as he approached her, "I expected more of a fight from you, you seemed so spirited."  
  
"Fight this!" Faith watched in disbelief as Xander, a normal, leapt fearlessly at the master vampire only for the vampire to contemptuously back-hand the youth into a stack of wooden crates, splintering them and spilling fruit out on the floor.  
  
"Xander!" the sight of her friend's crumpled body was enough to galvanise the Slayer into action. She wasn't about to allow the bastard to get away with hurting her bud. Spinning round she pulled away one of the roof's wooden supports and threw it splintered end first at the vampire. She grinned as her makeshift stake hit Kaktosis and her nemesis exploded into dust before running over to her dazed friend. "Xman, you five by five?" she asked, a note of unaccustomed softness in her voice.  
  
Her friend nodded then winced. "Help Kendra," Xander gasped his voice weak.  
  
Faith glanced up and cursed. Her fellow Slayer was being out-gunned by a quartet of vampires. After taking a second for another glance at Xander she raced over to Kendra. One of the vampires, seeing her approach, turned and retreated from the warehouse leaving only three.  
  
The brunette leapt into a flying drop-kick to slam into the nearest vampire's chest. She hit the ground on top of the vampire and grinned down at the demon as she slammed a stake into its heart. "Sucks to be you."  
  
Looking up she saw Kendra stake one of the two remaining vampire, and the other turn to run only for her companion to throw her stake through the vampire's back. "Nice shot," she praised weakly. Faith managed not to flinch when Kendra turned her angry eyes on her. She'd fucked up again. Found two good friends and pissed them off by hiding the truth, her ma was right, she was a worthless slut. "Yeah, I guess I've got some stuff to tell ya."  
  
Ten minutes later and she'd finished telling them about Kaktosis. Her head dropped as she turned away from Xander and Kendra, determined not to cry. It wasn't fair, she hadn't meant for anyone to get hurt. "Faith, I've got something to say."  
  
The Slayer took a breath and turned to face Xander, wincing slightly at the egg sized bruise on his forehead and his grazed right cheek, here it came the yelling and cursing, well she deserved it. "Are all your exes like him? Because if we're going to be friends I'm definitely vetting your boyfriends."  
  
Faith's mouth dropped open as the import of Xander's words hit her. Covering the dusty floor in a blur she picked up the surprised youth in a hug. "Thanks Xand," tears streamed down her face.  
  
"That's alright Faith. Now can you put me down please? Jealous girlfriend, oxygen depravation issues, and ribs cracking."  
  
"Um, sorry," remembering her image she lowered the youth. "We five by five too Ken?" After a second the other Slayer nodded. "Wicked!"  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't know where Xander gets off talking to me like that!" Buffy muttered as she walked through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. That traitor, first he takes up with Kendra, and now she'd seen him walking off with that low-class bitch Faith!  
  
The blonde stopped her mutterings as she heard a growling in the undergrowth ahead of her. Drawing her stake she started forward only to stop when she recognised the naked figure on the ground. Her stake fell from nerveless fingers. "Angel." 


	3. 3

Three Slayers 3 - Slayerfest '98  
  
"Three Slayers, that is most worrying. I can't have a trio of feisty young ladies ruining my plans." Mayor Wilkins beamed at his new assistant, an African-American vampire by the name of Mr. Trick. Smart fellow, he'd come to work for him after the newest Slayer had slain his sire. He did so like employing from minorities - made him feel socially responsible. After all, weren't vampires people like everybody else, live and let undead he always said. "I assume you have a solution to this problem?"  
  
The vampire nodded at him. "As a matter of fact I do. I call it Slayerfest '98."  
  
"Oh do tell?" The Mayor beamed, he was sure this was going to be fun - at least for him.  
  
* * *  
  
"Xander, can I talk to you?"  
  
Xander slid the demonology book he'd been reading under his science textbook before looking up. "Shoot Johnno."  
  
The short youth shuffled from foot to foot. "You're friends with Faith right?" Xander bit back a groan as he nodded, he knew what was coming. "You know if anybody's asked her to Homecoming?"  
  
Yep, there it was. Just like Kendra two weeks before her and Buffy two years ago, Faith's arrival at Sunnydale High had hit the school's male population like an atom bomb. Although strangely enough she hadn't had many offers - although that might have had something to do with him repeatedly introducing Percy West's face to a locker door when he'd overheard the jock boasting about how he was going to be the first to screw the new hot brunette. Strange how things like that influenced people.  
  
Still John was a good guy, shy but well-mannered enough. After all the abusers in her past Faith could do with a nice guy her own age. Xander came to a decision. "No, I don't think anyone has asked her."  
  
"Oh," Jonathan stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking again. "Do you think I'd have a chance?"  
  
Xander thought for a second. "I don't know Johnno, you can but ask." The youth nodded and turned to leave. "John wait." The teen turned back to him, his face questioning at his serious tone. "You know if Faith says yes and you hurt or humiliate her in any way she can snap you like a twig?" Jonathan swallowed and nodded, the girls' powers were pretty much an open secret by now. "And that if you hurt Faith, Kendra will do the same?" Xander lowered his voice. "But what you don't know is I've read a ton of military history books and I'm not even close to as strong as Kendra or Faith, but I'm way more inventive."  
  
"O..okay," the youth bolted out of the library.  
  
* * *  
  
"XANDER! You're dead meat!"  
  
"Oh crap," Xander muttered, standing he put his desk between him and the raging brunette who'd just stormed through the library doors, knowing full well the desk would offer scant protection. He looked towards the office for assistance only to see that Giles had discreetly closed the door. Coward. "What's up?"  
  
"What's up!" Faith screamed. "You got Jonathan to ask me out!"  
  
He looked at his girlfriend behind Faith only to see her giggling hysterically. No help from her either. "Uh, I didn't actually," he corrected weakly. "He just asked me if you were dating anybody."  
  
"Why didn't you lie?" the girl demanded hotly.  
  
Xander shrugged. "Well John's a good guy -."  
  
"You were setting me up!" Xander swallowed at the girl's anger. "He's shorter than me and a geek!"  
  
"So you said no?" Xander kept his tone neutral but he was disappointed. Sure Johnno was no Brad Pitt, but he was the sort to treat a girl decently and from what he'd managed to piece together that hadn't happened to his new friend too often if ever in the past.  
  
The brunette dropped down into the chair opposite him, a frustrated look on her beautiful face. "How could I? The dumbass asked me in the middle of the corridor; if I'd have said no he'd have been humiliated." Faith glared at him. "You're so going to pay for this."  
  
Xander considered asking what he'd done wrong but decided that keeping his mouth shut was probably the best option.  
  
* * *  
  
"You hoped Jonathan would ask Faith out didn't you?"  
  
Xander grinned down at his girlfriend. "Is this conversation strictly confidential?"  
  
"I don't know," Kendra fluttered her long eyelashes, "will you buy my silence with kisses?" "Ah my favourite currency," moving his arm from around his girlfriend's shoulders to her tiny waist, he kissed her lightly on the lips before pulling away. "I know Johnno's too quiet for Faith," he admitted, "but even if it only lasts for one date it'll help boost Johnno's status. More importantly it'll give Faith an idea of how she really deserves to be treated, that she's worth more than being an easy lay."  
  
Kendra giggled. "If only we could clone you."  
  
"Ah," Xander sighed dramatically. "So little Xander, so many women."  
  
"Only one woman."  
  
He grunted as Kendra elbowed him in the ribs. "My mistake."  
  
* * *  
  
"G, can I ask you something?"  
  
"You can if you call me by my bloody given name," Giles muttered under his breath before looking up from his book with a smile. His smile waved wavered as he noticed the pensive look on Faith's face. "Faith, why don't you sit down?"  
  
"Thanks G."  
  
As he waited for the young woman to begin the librarian mentally reviewed the events of the past two weeks since the third Slayer's arrival. At first the teen had been not exactly scared but wary of him, he guessed she'd been abused quite badly in her pre-Slayer days leading her to distrust men, but gradually begun to relax, let him in. In turn her presence had caused Kendra to relax, making the translating Haitian more assured.  
  
However Faith's appearance had its drawbacks. While idolising Xander and becoming firm friends with Kendra, Faith was less than friendly with the others. She'd been openly scornful of Buffy, sneering at the blonde for sleeping with a vampire, 'B, here's a tip for ya, you're meant to stake him, not him you', and for allowing Angelus' resulting murder spree. That had sent off a shouting match between Xander and Willow when Willow had attempted to defend Buffy. As a result things were now fractured to such an extent that Xander, Kendra, and Faith patrolled separately from him, Buffy, and the others except when there was a major crisis. Realising that the Slayer wasn't about to break her silence he spoke. "Faith, I believe you wished to ask me something?"  
  
"Yeah, there's going to be formal dancing at this Homecoming thing right?" he nodded. "You know how to dance that way, right?" Again he nodded. "Can you teach me?"  
  
The Watcher smiled. "Faith, it would be an honour."  
  
"Really?" "Really, after all it's not often an old stick such as I gets an opportunity to dance with a beautiful young woman."  
  
Faith blushed. "You're not that old G."  
  
"Well thank you Faith, will you help me move the sofa?"  
  
* * *  
  
Mayor Wilkins looked down at the files Mr. Trick had just dropped on his desk. "And what are these?"  
  
"The entrants for Slayerfest '98."  
  
"Well shucks this is just like Christmas Day. I don't know which file to open first. I know, why don't you summarise?"  
  
"Sure sir, contestant number one is Marza, a Shawda demon." Wilkins nodded approvingly, Shawdas were notoriously persistent predators, feared even amongst their fellow demons. "Contestant number two is Ole Thor, a former U.S. Marine who's been working as a big game hunter for the past ten years. Contestant number three are a trio of Ninjas. And finally we have Vegas' vampire king Lucky Jim and his two young ladies Isabella and Tiffany."  
  
The Mayor beamed. He'd heard of Lucky Jim, he was a 1950s accomplice of the gangster Bugsy Siegel and Jim had been turned in '58. Only forty years old but he had already gained quite a reputation for brutality and cunning. "Well golly gosh, that's quite a collection Mr. Trick. And have there been any problems with organising the prey?" The vampire hesitated. "Come Mr. Trick, I'm sure we can overcome any difficulties together. After all two heads are better than one."  
  
The vampire nodded. "The three Slayers are rarely together all at once unless on patrol. While Kendra and Faith are close to one another and Xander Harris, they tend to ignore Summers. Getting all three of them into a situation where they would be unprepared and unharmed would be difficult."  
  
"Um." The Mayor thought for a minute. That was a blow. While Miss. Summers was the more experienced of the three she was also unfocussed after the death of her demon lover and therefore less of a threat. "I think we'll eliminate Kendra and Faith first. If Miss. Summers continues to be a pest then we'll have to take steps against her too."  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm scared Xander."  
  
Xander's eyes rolled; he'd already guessed that from his companion's continual shaking and ashen-grey complexion. "About what John?"  
  
"Me, on a date with Faith. I mean I was so happy and amazed when she said yes but now. I can't cope with the pressure, maybe I should cancel."  
  
"Not attached to your kneecaps then?" Xander raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Well what should I do? You're the expert."  
  
"Me?" Xander blinked; him the dating expert?  
  
"You're with one of the hottest babes in school."  
  
"True. Okay, here's the advice. First, polite and respectful, in that case not only is it the right thing to do but it'll help you keep breathing too. Two, just relax, whatever happens happens, three, don't talk scfi, listen to what she has to say, and finally, don't forget to compliment her."  
  
"That's it?" Jonathan's eyes had grown to the size of soccer balls. "That's the great advice?"  
  
Xander shrugged. "Don't put on an act. Be yourself. And remember, she said yes, she must like something about you."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander wolf-whistled as the two girls hurried down the drive. "Whatever happened to Kendra and Faith?" he called out. "Who switched them for these two supermodels?" he turned to Jonathan. "Remember compliments."  
  
The shorter youth nodded nervously. As Faith neared Jonathan spoke. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world; an angel has just fallen out of heaven to land at my feet."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes. "For god's sake, don't get your chat-up lines from the internet," he muttered before stepping forward and kissing Kendra on the cheek, beside him he could hear Faith snarling at Jonathan not to try and follow suit. "Your hair, your earrings, your dress - you look like you just came off a catwalk."  
  
Kendra beamed at him before turning serious. "You're late."  
  
"Traffic was busy," Xander lied. It wouldn't help for Faith to find out that he'd had to practically carry her terrified date into the car. "Ladies, your carriage awaits."  
  
"Nice wheels," Faith commented approvingly.  
  
"It should be," Xander muttered. Giles had got him a job as a part-time library assistant. It looked good on his resume, gave him an excuse to study the Slayer Diaries and not to go home, and most importantly earned him some much needed money. With what he got and Jonathan's contribution they'd managed to hire a limo from the town's classiest limo service.  
  
* * *  
  
"This car journey is taking too long!" Faith snapped impatiently. The first dance she hadn't been paid to attend and she was stuck with Jonathan Levinson. She supposed he was nice enough but hardly dream date material. She'd been hoping one of the football team would ask her out but they seemed almost scared of her for some reason.  
  
"Have you heard patience is a virtue?"  
  
Faith glared at her counterpart. It had taken her a while to get used to Kendra's occasional, and therefore unexpected, outbursts of dry humour. "Whoever said that hadn't been on this damn journey!" Even as she spoke the car grinded to a halt. "About fucking time!" Shoving the door open she stepped out of the car. And stopped dead at the sprawling wood that surrounded them. "What the fuck?"  
  
"Well school's really changed."  
  
"You think?" Faith glanced at Xander, her eyes narrowing as she noticed a TV and video just past her friend. "What the hell's that doing here?"  
  
Xander followed her gaze. "Only one way to find out." The group walked over to the TV. After shrugging his shoulders, Xander pressed the video play button and turned the TV on.  
  
Faith's heart dropped as she recognised the vampire. "Mr. Trick," she muttered.  
  
"Hi Faith, good to see you again, I wish I could I be there with you. Miss Kendra, I wish I could have met you." Mr Trick turned serious. "Unfortunately that's not possible. You two young ladies are a threat to my new employers and as such as designated as the prey in SlayerFest '98. Bye now."  
  
Faith hit the ground as the TV exploded, dragging Jonathan down with her. "Aw crap!" she cursed as she climbed back to her feet and noticed the $300 sleeveless crimson cocktail dress that G had bought her was torn and dirty.  
  
"What's going on?" Jonathan asked as she pulled him to his feet.  
  
"Xand! Explain!"  
  
After nodding Xander grabbed her date and started talking. Satisfied that the others were preoccupied she grabbed Kendra and dragged her away from the two men. "We're in a hell of a spot Ken," she hissed urgently. "Unknown hostiles and terrain, practically no weaponry, and two civilians, one who's useless. What the hell are we going to do?"  
  
Kendra was silent for a second before smiling slightly. "Xander."  
  
Faith nodded in understanding. "Soldier boy."  
  
* * *  
  
"Okay, so what have we got?" Xander asked in a whisper. A few seconds later he sighed - no mobile phone and just three stakes. "Just great," he turned to Jonathan. "Anything in the car Jonno?"  
  
"Just this," the youth held up a tire-iron. "There's no battery in the car phone."  
  
"Right," Xander took a second to think. "There's a cabin about ¾ of a mile up there. Let's head there, maybe there's something we can use."  
  
* * *  
  
Ole Thor glided through the woods with the practiced moves of a jungle veteran, his eyes flickering from side to side. A grin spread across his coarse-featured face as he saw the coffee-skinned girl he recognised as the Haitian Slayer lying on the ground. His traps had brought at least one of the Slayers down. Her companion had obviously fled or got separated from her, leaving her helpless. The former marine lifted his gun. "Easiest two mil I've ever earned."  
  
"Hey asshole." He started to turn towards the male voice, his rifle swinging towards the youth before his gun was snatched off him from behind and he was grabbed around his neck, his air supply instantly cut off.  
  
* * *  
  
"That went well Xand," Faith praised.  
  
Xander nodded in relief. The bear-traps would have been well-hidden for anyone who didn't have the memories of an army veteran who'd served in both Korea and Nam. Once he'd seen them he'd decided that it was time for the hunted to become the hunters and had used the 'goat in the snare' ploy to lure the hunter. He glanced towards his girlfriend. "You okay Ken?" his girlfriend nodded, Johnno's engineering knowledge had enabled him to fix the trap so although it looked like the trap had caught a victim while in fact doing no damage whatsoever.  
  
He turned back to Faith. "Go through his clothing and see if he's got anything useful."  
  
"Been a while since I've been through a guy's clothes." Faith winked at him.  
  
Xander rolled his eyes at the comment. "Just get on with it."  
  
After a few seconds the Slayer had finished. "Some rope, ammo, a lighter, car keys, and a walkie talkie."  
  
"That it?" the Slayer nodded. "Damn it." Xander thought for a second. "Use the rope to tie him up. Give the stuff to Jonathan, we all need our hands free to fight with. Wake him," Xander nodded towards the hunter, "up. We need to find out what he knows."  
  
Ten minutes later they'd finished their interrogation and knocked the hunter back out. "What now Xander?" Kendra asked.  
  
"There might be a phone at the cabin, we'll head there."  
  
* * *  
  
"The damn thing doesn't work!"  
  
"Can I have a look?" Jonathan asked timidly. All this talk of Slayers, demons, and vampires gave him palpitations but engineering and telecommunications he knew. He wilted under Faith's laser-gun glare; he couldn't believe how scary she was. "I.I might be able to fix it."  
  
"Fine!" the beautiful brunette snapped before shoving the phone into his hand. "What do you want me to do Xand?"  
  
"Help us search the place for anything we can use."  
  
As his three companions rummaged through the cabin Jonathan opened up the phone and began examining it. After five minutes he triumphantly beamed. "I've -."  
  
His pronouncement was interrupted by the sound of the cabin door being ripped off its hinges and flung into Kendra, flattening the slight girl beneath it. The intruder was eight feet tall, his huge warty bulk and thick shoulders filling the torn open doorway. The creature's hideous visage was dominated by its single staring blood-red eye and gaping mouth filled with glinting yellow teeth.  
  
Upon the creature's entrance Xander began to swing his rifle towards the beast only for his weapon to be snatched from him and for the youth to be back-handed across the cabin and into the wall. Next into the attack was Faith, who's attempted leaping drop-kick allowed her to be plucked out of the air and flung to the ground beside Xander.  
  
Jonathan swallowed. Seeing the creature begin to advance on a still dazed Kendra, he lunged for an aerosol can lying on the floor between the girl and the demon. Reaching up he sprayed the can's contents at the beast's face, using the hunter's lighter to turn the spray into a jet of flame that hit its target, filling the cabin with the demon's anguished screams and the stench of its burning flesh. Kendra flung the door from on top of her to hit the screeching demon in the face. As the demon staggered backwards, Faith leapt to her feet and clipped the beast's legs from beneath it. As soon as the demon hit the floor, the two Slayers were on it, ripping it to pieces with a terrifying ferocity. In less than a couple of minutes the demon was dead. Faith leapt up and grinned at him. "That was pretty smart Johnny, ballsy too."  
  
Jonathan blushed and stared down at the floor. Faith thought he was brave, suddenly he remembered the phone. Cheeks still flaming, he looked up. "I've fixed the phone."  
  
His date's grin broadened. "Wicked! You hear that Xand!"  
  
"Faith don't shout. We haven't all got Slayer healing. My head's still aching," Xander groaned as he pulled himself upright.  
  
"Huh, it's got nothing to do with being a Slayer, it's do with you being a wuss."  
  
"Faith!" Kendra sounded unhappy. "Xander could be seriously hurt." The girl hurried over to her boyfriend.  
  
His date rolled her eyes. "Ignore them Johnny, they're in lurve," the girl turned serious. "Who should I ring Xand?"  
  
"Try yours' first, and then the library. Warn them we're on the way and they might have trouble coming at them."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander stopped as Kendra grabbed his arm, they'd been unable to get through to Giles or anyone so they'd decided to head for where the hunter had said his jeep was hidden and head back to town. "What's up Ken?" he whispered.  
  
"Those ninjas, they're in the woods ahead of us."  
  
Xande stared casually forward. He couldn't see anything but then again he didn't have Slayer eyes. "Will they be able to see us yet?" After a second his girlfriend shook her head. "Good, in that case, this is what we'll do."  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra stole through the shadowy forest, years of training allowing her to silently move through the woods without disturbing the local wildlife or alerting her prey to her presence. She knew that she had only a limited time before the ninjas realised that she and Faith had left the boys and worked out what was happening. A predatory smile crept across her beautiful face as she neared the black cat-suited figure to her right. She loved her new life but this; this was what she was born to do.  
  
Grabbing a rock from the ground she threw it at a tree behind and to the left of the Ninja. As soon as her enemy turned instinctively she burst out of the undergrowth, her movements a blur. As the Ninja began to turn back towards her she leapt into the air. Seeing the man's right hand swing up with a knife, she snapped out a left-footed kick, the heel smashing into the man's wrist, knocking the blade to the ground even as the toe of her other foot crashed into the man's jaw shattering it and knocking him to the ground.  
  
Upon landing beside the body Kendra felt for a pulse letting out a relieved gasp when she found one. She'd killed humans before, a Voodoo priestess back home who'd been trying to enslave the whole island. She didn't like doing it but if a human decided to serve evil then it was her duty to stop them. Her lips parted in a scowl as she remembered Buffy's moralising about not killing humans - fine words from somebody who'd stood by and allowed a vampire to mass-murder.  
  
The thought of Buffy brought to the fore thoughts of her true sister Slayer. Worry flickered across her face. She hoped Faith was alright.  
  
* * *  
  
Faith was pissed. Her first real dance and fancy dress ruined by these bastards. Still, she smiled softly, her date had turned out better than expected - most of the so-called tough guys she'd used to hang with would have turned and run at the sight of that ugly bastard back at the cabin. Not Johnny though, if he hadn't come up with that wicked trick with the aerosol Ken could have been seriously hurt. And when he blushed he was so damn sweet.  
  
The brunette pushed aside thoughts of her date when she spied two ninjas knelt behind a boulder ahead of her. Grinning slightly, she crawled through the undergrowth until she was behind the two men. Rising from the ground she put two fingers into her mouth and whistled.  
  
As the pair began to turn she charged them only to catch her foot in an upraised root and stumble awkwardly to the ground. Cheeks flaming with embarrassment, Faith pulled herself back to her feet, favouring her right side slightly. Seeing a shuriken flying towards her the Slayer swayed backwards, allowing it to flying harmlessly over her left shoulder. The other ninja came in fast, a whirlwind of exploding fists and feet, that Faith struggled to evade while keeping half an eye on the other assassin.  
  
Finally she snatched hold of the assassin's right arm and pulled him into a knifehand to the throat that sent him plummeting to the ground. She spun round to face the other killer only for her ankle to give way beneath her. Hitting the ground in a heap, she glared up impotently at the sword- wielding man above her. Dying like this after all the Master Vampires she'd offed - how fucking humiliating.  
  
Suddenly a rock sailed out of the night air to crash into the man's skull knocking her assailant out. Kendra hurried over to her side. "Faith, are you alright?"  
  
Faith grinned up gratefully at her worried-looking counterpart. "Except for a near-terminal case of embarrassment and a sprained ankle I'm five by five. Let's get back to the others."  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you really okay Faith?"  
  
Faith nodded, secretly touched by Jonathan's concern. "Yeah," she said nonchalantly as the two of them made their way to the library, the others having gone to the hall in case the others hadn't got the message she'd left on the library's answering machine. "Slayers heal quicker." The teen nodded and fell silent. "Johnny I'm sorry things didn't work out. Maybe we'll have time for one dance before the end of the night?" Might as well throw the guy a bone - he hadn't done bad at all.  
  
The youth's answering smile lasted until they reached the library. "What happened here?"  
  
"Don't know." Faith glanced warily around the wrecked library, the desk had been broken in two, Red's computer flung to the floor and books and scattered notes lay strewn across the floor. "Johnny go into the office and get the weapons chest. It's beneath G's desk."  
  
Once the youth had disappeared the brunette made her way into the back of the library, her senses tingling. Her breath caught as she saw a pair of feet in a pair of shoes she recognised. "G!"  
  
Her heart pounding she started forward, and twisted away from the female vampire who lunged out of the shadows at her, allowing her adversary to run onto her stake. Even as the vampire exploded into dust, another charged out of the darkness. Faith slid beneath its attack and slammed a stake into the demon's heart, taking a punch to the jaw in the process.  
  
Normally such a punch would have been easy to shrug off but with her injured leg it sent her stumbling backwards and into a bookcase knocking her to the ground, pinning her arms beneath and the bookcase on top of her.  
  
She let out a fearful gasp when a third vampire, a short chubby man who'd been turned in his mid forties stepped out of the shadows, a sneering expression on his face. "Well Lucky Jim's good fortune strikes again. Tonight I get to make my bones." Faith struggled desperately. Given time she'd get free but time was the one thing she didn't have.  
  
"I don't think so," her eyes snapped towards the office doorway. What was Jonathan doing? He should be hiding, not holding a sword.  
  
"Oh yeah," Lucky Jim sneered. "And who are you?"  
  
"So you've heard of the Slayers? Have you heard of the Protectors? The male warriors with the powers of the Slayers who occur only once a century? Well guess who got really unlucky?"  
  
Faith's eyes blurred with tears. It was just like Lorraine, somebody else was going to die for trying to help her. She didn't want people to die for her, she wasn't worth it. Her mouth dropped open as the vampire sped out of the library. He'd done it.  
  
The youth hurried over her, smiled uncertainly and bent over to lift the bookcase off her. Acting on impulse she leaned up and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.  
  
The boy coloured but completed lifting the bookcase off her before speaking. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Twisted my damn ankle again but I'll be five by five tomorrow." She walked over to her Watcher and untied his restraints. After checking the librarian was alright she turned back to Jonathan and winked. "This date's been so much fun I can hardly wait to see where you take me next." Chuckling slightly she walked past the teen and out of the library.  
  
* * *  
  
Giles hid a smile at the youth's glazed eyes. "D..did Faith just say she wanted another date? With me?"  
  
"I believe she did son, I believe she did," the boy's grin faded at his next words. "Mr. Levinson, I happened to over-hear Xander's conversation with you regarding Faith and your behaviour towards her. And, if you hurt her in any way, I too will be most displeased." The youth paled. "Well boy, what are you waiting for? Your date's waiting for you."  
  
Giles shook his head as the boy raced out of the library. He began to wearily clear up the mess made by the trio of vampires, chuckling to himself as he worked. In his day he wouldn't have needed instruction to chase after a girl, especially one as attractive as Faith. "Bloody kids today, they've no sodding idea." 


	4. 4

Three Slayers 4 - Band Candy  
  
Jonathan smiled contentedly as he took his files out of his locker. Two weeks had passed since his world had tilted on its axis, changing beyond recognition. For the first time in his life he had friends - Xander, Kendra, and Mr. Giles, although the Englishman scared him a little, and even better he had a girlfriend - Faith.  
  
His smile faded as he turned away from his locker to find he was surrounded by four of the school's most notorious bullies. "She put out yet?"  
  
Jonathan forced himself to look up into Percy West's eyes. "Excuse me?" he failed to control the tremble in his voice.  
  
"I said that girl of yours to put out yet geek?" West sneered at him. "I mean two weeks with a cheap slut like that even you should be getting laid by now."  
  
"That's none of your business!" Jonathan tried to step away from the group surrounding him only for West to grab him by the shoulders and slam him back against the lockers.  
  
"Listen Levinson," all pretence at jocularity had left the gang leader's voice. "It's my business if I say it is. After all," the footballer grinned at his friends, "when you dump her tonight like I'm telling you to she's going to need comforting, so me and the boys are going to make her guest of honour at one of our parties."  
  
"Not going to happen." Jonathan's heart leapt at Xander's familiar voice. His friend grabbed hold of West's shoulders from behind, spun him round, drove a head butt into the bully's nose, shattering it, even as his accompanying right fist collided with the footballer's jaw, knocking him to the floor. "Second and last warning, what you do with those bimbos who want to hang with you is between you and the STD clinic but Kendra and Faith are off-limits."  
  
"Get him!" the sprawled footballer screamed.  
  
Even as his three companions stepped towards his friend another person stepped into the fray. "Joe, Ian, Tom." The three jocks stopped after hearing the voice of the school football captain. "Not a good idea boys, I'm with Harris on this." After a second the trio sloped off.  
  
Xander nodded. "Thanks Larry."  
  
The footballer nodded. "Not a problem Xander," Larry glanced at the rising footballer, "take that as a warning West, next time it could be an angry father with a baseball bat." Larry turned back to them. "See you around guys."  
  
"Thanks for the help, where did you learn to fight like that? Special Forces guy right?" Jonathan asked in awe, he'd been amazed to hear about Xander being possessed by a 20 year veteran of the Green Berets.  
  
"No, barroom brawling 101," seeing his confused expression Xander explained. "Giles taught it me from his days fighting in the pubs in England, it's what he calls a Glasgow kiss. Hospitable people the Scottish apparently."  
  
"Mr Harris, did you just assault one of our football stars!" Jonathan swallowed, oh boy, Mr. Snyder, trouble.  
  
To his surprise his companion seemed unperturbed. "No sir, his face just fell onto my head and fist. These things happen."  
  
"Always the clown Harris. Well laugh this off! You've got a week's lunchtime detentions!" the principal snarled before storming off.  
  
"Always a pleasure sir!" Xander called out after the teacher.  
  
Jonathan looked up at Xander in disbelief. "How can you talk to teachers like that?"  
  
"Trust me on this Jonno, maturity's over-rated."  
  
* * *  
  
Ethan Rayne shuffled nervously from foot to foot as he stood before the African-American vampire before him. He loathed working for vampires, they were so unpredictable, but when you were offered the amount of money he was you didn't say no. And it did give him an opportunity for some much needed revenge on that uptight prig Ripper. At least this vampire dressed well; maybe he was more intelligent than the average blood-sucker. Finally the vampire spoke. "Is the product ready?"  
  
He nodded dutifully before pointing to the crates behind him. "We're starting shipping tonight; they'll be at the distribution centres by the morning."  
  
The vampire beamed. "Excellent, oh and Mr. Rayne?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"If there are any problems I will come looking for you to discuss the penalty clauses in your contract."  
  
He swallowed; maybe coming back to Sunnydale hadn't been such a good idea after all.  
  
* * * Faith screamed angrily. "Get off me you prick!" She slammed a fist into her assailant's jaw. Fury powering her left hook, the subject of her attack was lifted off his feet and thrown over the sofa to land at the other side of the room. Still snarling the brunette started forward, intent on further hurting her attacker, "teach you to put a hand on me."  
  
Suddenly the lounge door crashed open. She spun round to see Ken, Xand, and Johnny all stood in the doorway. "Faith!" Kendra yelled excitedly. "There's some sort of spell on all the adults in town. You should have seen them in The Bronze they were all acting like teenagers, " the ebony- skinned Slayer's eyes widened and she pointed towards the groaning body on the floor. "What happened to him?"  
  
"Ah, he stuck his tongue down my ear and felt my ass. So I gave him a smack," Faith muttered in embarrassment. Maybe she shouldn't have hit G quite that hard.  
  
* * *  
  
"She's bloody barking I tell you. You put a few moves on a girl and she smacks you in the gob!"  
  
Xander rolled his eyes. He'd seen Ripper the night Jenny Calendar had been murdered, at the time he'd been scared of the raging homicidal but this incarnation was just irritating. Fighting back the urge to hit the man he spoke calmly. "You touched her up, what did you expect?"  
  
"I was just warming 'er up," the Englishman protested weakly, pressing the ice compress Xander had passed him against his jaw. "Way she dresses you know she's got to be up for it. If she doesn't want the attention then maybe she shouldn't -."  
  
"I'm going to hit him!"  
  
"Come on your pint-sized wanker!" Giles sneered at Jonathan. "You haven't got the soddin' stones!"  
  
"Jonathan!" Xander let out a frustrated bellow. "Go and sit with the girls in the lounge. No, don't argue."  
  
Once the youth had disappeared Xander turned to the Watcher. "Listen, you're under some sort of spell, all the adults in town are acting Xanderlike so we're going to need your help to solve this."  
  
"Why would I want to do anything? I feel bloody great!"  
  
"Because if you don't co-operate Faith will have to persuade you." The Englishman paled and nodded. "Good, now let's get this show on the road."  
  
* * * Kendra stared at the pages of the book searching for any mention of age regression, keeping half an eye on Faith and Mr. Giles to make sure her Watcher didn't get himself in trouble again. She couldn't believe that Mr. Giles had been so unseemly in his youth, he'd always acted like the perfect English gentleman. Realising she wasn't able to concentrate she put her book down and turned to Xander, he'd know what to do he always did.  
  
Her eyes caught the over-flowing bin. "Xander, weren't all those adults in the Bronze eating band candy?"  
  
Her boyfriend didn't look up from his reading. "Yeah, so?"  
  
"So what's an entire empty packet of bars doing in the bin?"  
  
Xander looked up at her and smiled slowly. "Giles, how many of those bars have you eaten?"  
  
"Whole bloody packet, they're sodding marvellous, really loosen a guy up. Hey luv," the Watcher turned to Faith, "maybe you should try a couple. Get you in the mood."  
  
The brunette Slayer snarled. "No Faith," at Xander's voice, the Slayer relaxed slightly, after a second Xander continued. "We better head for the candy factory."  
  
"The candy factory, isn't that a bit weak Xman?"  
  
Kendra spoke up. "Maybe Faith, but it's the only lead we've got."  
  
After a second her counterpart nodded before glaring at the Watcher. "Five by five but he's sitting up front with you. There's no way I'm getting in the back seat of a car with Wandering Palms."  
  
* * *  
  
"We want candy! We want candy!"  
  
Kendra stared in disbelief at the chanting mob outside of the factory. "I think that's pretty conclusive."  
  
"Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back Ken," her counterpart said dryly. "If you're the brains of the outfit how the fuck are we going to get in with rent a mob outside?" Suddenly Faith chuckled. "Hey I just thought of something, thank fuck Buff's gone off to the city with Mrs S. I mean Mrs S. is five by five but can you imagine what she was like in her teens? God, it would be like having two Buffys running around. Talk about -."  
  
"Faith, not helping," Xander cut in wearily. "I'll take the car round the back, maybe there's a loose plank in the wall one of you can snap off."  
  
"I'm the bloody Watcher I should be the one giving the -."  
  
"SHUT UP!" The Watcher fell silent at their chorus of disapproval.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander slid through the hole that Kendra and Faith had made in the walls, grimacing at the effort - he'd have to cut down on the junk food although Kendra did like him cuddly. Standing he stared around the inside of the factory and whistled. The place was a maze of boxes. If they were full of candy. "The crates, empty or full?"  
  
Faith looked up, her face grim. "We've opened eight, all full." Even as Xander opened his mouth to suggest they look for the office to search for records, Faith dropped one of the crates and started running. "Ken! There's someone here, go left!"  
  
Xander glanced at his companions. "Jonno, go with Faith. Ripper, with me!"  
  
Seconds later, he raced around a corner in time to see Faith drive a foot deep into Ethan Rayne's groin. Xander winced, man Ripper had really pissed her off. The Chaos Mage's eyes crossed, he let out a groan, and slumped to the ground in a foetal ball whimpering. A glint of anger in her eyes, Faith raised her foot. "No Faith!"  
  
"Bloody hit him again I'm your soddin' Watcher!"  
  
"Faith, no," he said calmly. After a second the Slayer nodded reluctantly and stepped back. Nodding his approval, Xander strode forward and crouched in front of the wheezing Slayer. "Hiya Ethan."  
  
After a few minutes the Mage managed to gasp out a question. "That other Slayer, Betty die?"  
  
"No, there's three Slayers now. Buffy, Kendra," he pointed towards his girl-friend, "and Faith who you've already met."  
  
The Englishman's eyes widened. "Three, bloody marvellous. I knew I shouldn't have come back here."  
  
"Not arguing," Xander dryly replied. "Now the question is why did you come back?"  
  
A sly look entered the mage's eyes. "I can't tell you that," he replied. "One has one's reputation to consider."  
  
"One's got one's looks to consider if he doesn't start talking." The mage caved in at Faith's growl. "I don't know much, the bloke who hired me wanted me to divert all the adults' attention while his boss paid a tribute to a demon called Lurconis."  
  
"Lurconis!" Giles\Ripper let out a roar. "You bloody wanker!"  
  
Hearing the Watcher behind him start forward, Xander left out a yell. "Stop him!"  
  
Turning his head at the sound of a scuffle, he looked round to see a grinning Faith sat on top of the Watcher. "Well he said he wanted to spend some time with me on top of him." Jonathan and Kendra sniggered. Xander fought back the urge to groan. Great; who's bright idea was it to leave him in charge of four kids?  
  
* * *  
  
"Damn! Damn!" Xander kicked the hospital nursery door. As soon as Giles had told them about the demon feeding on babies they'd hurried over to the hospital only to find they were too late. Four babies had already been taken.  
  
"X..Xander what do we do?"  
  
Xander glanced at his girlfriend's petrified face, guessing she was reliving her own rough childhood he squeezed her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry we'll work something out."  
  
"Damn straight," Faith's face had paled but she still looked determined. Suddenly the Slayer moved, grabbing hold of Ethan by his collar she smashed his head through a near-by window, sending glass flying and blood seeping out of half a dozen cuts. "Talk you bastard! Where is he?"  
  
"Ripper, get her off!"  
  
"Not bloody likely you sodding nancy. Faith, hit him again."  
  
"Don't need to be told twice," the Slayer grabbed hold of the Mage's suede jacket lapels and flung him over the near-by reception desk and onto the floor at the other side. Eyes cold, Faith hurdled over the desk to stand over the weeping mage. "Talk you bastard."  
  
"I'm telling you!" the mage screamed piteously, "I don't know anything."  
  
"In that case it really sucks to be you." The Slayer lifted the Mage up by his hair before driving his face into the desk. "Got any words of wisdom for us Eth?"  
  
Jonathan glanced at him, his face ashen-grey. "Aren't you going to stop her?"  
  
Xander felt slightly queasy himself but shrugged. "There's children's lives at stake, I'm not inclined to be merciful. Ethan wants to play in the big leagues that's his problem."  
  
"See Eth," Faith slammed the tip of her combat boot into the Englishman's ribs, eliciting the sound of a cracking rib, "I had a really lousy childhood so I'm not going to let anybody hurt kids, not on my watch. And if the price of their lives is me beating the shit out of a low-life like you then that's five by five by me."  
  
"The sewers, they're in the sewers."  
  
"See," Faith stood, "that didn't hurt. Us. Still at least you're in the hospital, the ER's that way. Once you're fixed up leave town, next time I see you I might not be gentle."  
  
* * *  
  
Finding the vampires in the sewers was easy; the two Slayers simply followed their noses and listened for the sound of crying babies. Within a few minutes they'd found their prey, the five vampires who'd stolen the babies and the infants themselves. After a few seconds sizing up the situation, Kendra began whispering orders. "Faith, you come with me. Xander, when they're distracted you take Giles and Jonathan and grab the babies. Okay?" As soon as she received a round of nods Kendra stepped out of from behind the disused oil drums they'd been hiding behind, drew her sword and leapt at the vampires, Faith in close pursuit.  
  
The first vampire practically wet himself at the sight of a Slayer in full furious flow and was little competition. After parrying his desperate slash at her head, Kendra drove her fist into the vampire's side staggering him. Before he had chance to regain his footing, Kendra sent a side-kick into his chest, bundling him into the pool at the far end of the cavern. Immediately a roar erupted from the opening beside the pool and a huge, grey-skinned snake appeared, swallowing the vampire whole before disappearing back into the tunnel.  
  
Distracted by the terrifying monster, Kendra only just managed to avoid a thrust at her chest from another vampire. Ducking under a follow-up thrust at her head she stepped into the vampire's guard and drove her forehead into her adversary's face. Even as the vampire screamed in pain she thrust her sword deep into the vamp's leg. The vampire fell to the ground, helpless to avoid her decapitating follow-up. Kendra's smug grin faded when she saw Mr. Trick grab Mr. Giles and throw him into the pool before charging through the cavern's exit. Kendra watched, frozen in horror, as Lurconis shot out of the hole to hover menacingly above her watcher.  
  
Suddenly Xander darted forward, grabbing the Watcher and dragging him out of the pool and away from the demon's hungrily awaiting mouth. "Faith, throw your axe through that fuel line above Ken! Ken, grab the line and point it at ugly!" Out of the corner of her eye Kendra saw Faith's double- bladed axe sail through the air, just above her head, and through the cable over-hanging her, sending it falling into her grasp. At the same time Xander dived for the flickering rush torches hanging from the sewer walls, lightening the gloomy cave, snatched it from the wall and thrust it into the fuel line's torn end. Her boyfriend's actions turned the fuel leaking from the line into a giant blowtorch. The flame that erupted from the line hit the demon full in its gaping mouth, evaporating the salvia falling from its dripping fangs and filling the dank sewer with the stench of roasted flesh. The demon's head reared up and its mouth issued a ground-shaking screech before pulling back into the hole. "Let's get out of here before he comes back," Xander said shakily.  
  
Kendra glanced round, Jonathan and Giles had already left, and nodded. "Very good idea."  
  
"Well we could stay and kick his ass," Faith replied nervously, "but we've saved the babies so let's give him a pass."  
  
"Sure Faith," Xander shuddered at the pained roars coming from the opening that the huge reptile had disappeared back into, "that's what we're doing. Giving him a pass."  
  
* * *  
  
"Faith, may I come in?"  
  
"Door's open G," the Slayer glanced up nervously at the Englishman, wincing slightly at the fist-sized bruise on his jaw. This was it, this was where she got thrown out for hitting him.  
  
The Englishman smiled uncertainly. "Faith, I can only apologise for my inexcusable behaviour last night and my indecorous advances."  
  
Faith took a second to translate what the Watcher had said, why he couldn't speak English like the rest of the country she'd never know, before smiling in disbelief. "You're not going to throw me out?"  
  
"No Faith," the Englishman said, "I am responsible for my actions and nobody else." The Watcher's face turned serious. "But you might want to consider your own actions, fighting to stop any man from forcing his attentions on you is perfectly acceptable, to be applauded even. But I was aware of you approaching me to continue your attack, when would you have stopped Faith, when I was dead? You should remember that with great power comes great responsibility."  
  
The Slayer nodded, G was right, with all the strength she had she couldn't afford to lose her temper, then blinked. "Wait you're quoting Spiderman at me?" G read Marvel comics?  
  
Giles groaned. "To quote you, busted. How's your homework going?" "I'm having a problem with Othello."  
  
"Ah, the Bard. Let me see if I can help," Faith smiled as the Watcher gazed down at her scribblings. She still had a home. 


	5. 5

A/N: Before anybody criticises me for portraying Giles as OOC, answer me this, who would just let somebody harbouring their lover's murderer slide like Giles did in the program? Now that's OOC for anyone except a complete wimp, and Giles wasn't that (until S7 at least). Thanks to www.buffyworld.com for its transcripts that I paraphrased for the confrontation in the library.  
  
Three Slayers 5 - Revelations  
  
"Bloody yank kids," Giles muttered as he sorted through the books left scattered around his library. Why the little brats couldn't leave him alone in his library in peace or at least tidy up after themselves was beyond him.  
  
"Mr. Giles?"  
  
He looked up at the cultured voice that could only belong to somebody from his home country, or at the very least someone educated in one of the great universities of his homeland. His gaze was met by a suited and severe- looking woman in her early forties. "Yes, I'm Mr. Giles and who are you?" he asked politely even as his stomach clenched in fear.  
  
"I'm Gwendolyn Post," the woman introduced herself, "I've been sent by the Watcher's Council to take over the training of Kendra and Faith."  
  
Giles nodded numbly, his face showing none of the pain he felt. They were going to take his girls away from him. "Very well, I'll have them brought from class."  
  
* * *  
  
"She's lying," Kendra stated.  
  
The woman's eyes widened and she began advancing on her. "Have a little more respect for your Watcher young lady!"  
  
Kendra swallowed and shook her head, god she hoped she was right. "You're not employed by the Council not anymore," she looked towards a suddenly worried looking Mr. Giles, "Mr Zabuto had me read everything the Council sent him as part of my training she," she pointed a shaking finger at the angry woman walking towards her, "was expelled from the Council eighteen months ago for experimenting with black magics."  
  
"You stupid child-!" whatever else the former Watcher was going to say was lost when a heavy leather-bound book flew through the air to collide with the woman's head, causing the woman's eyes to glaze and her to fall to the ground.  
  
Giles stared at Faith. "Faith, what have I told you about misusing my books?" her Watcher's tone was disapproving but Kendra noticed the Englishman's lips tugging up in a smile.  
  
Her sister Slayer winked at their Watcher. "Wouldn't know G," Faith grinned, "I never listen you know that."  
  
"Why me?" Giles muttered before turning serious. "I'll have to ring to the Council to pick her up," the Watcher glanced down at the crumpled body, "however she did mention something about a demon called Lagos coming to town to find an ancient weapon called the Glove of Myhnegon. That's most worrying -."  
  
"She was probably lying G."  
  
"Possibly," Giles nodded, "however we can't take that risk. Maybe she was after the weapon for her own ends."  
  
"Shall we go and look now?" Kendra asked eagerly.  
  
Her Watcher chuckled, "ah yes, double chemistry this afternoon isn't it?" Kendra glared at her Watcher, rumbled. "I'm afraid this can wait until this afternoon, now move her," Giles nudged the body on the ground with his feet, "into the inner office, tie and gag her. Then get back to class"  
  
Kendra sighed, it wasn't fair. "Yes Mr. Giles."  
  
Faith grinned. "Wicked, I've got this new top I want to wear for gym this afternoon!"  
  
* * *  
  
"So anyway, this Ms. Post turns up to take over Kendra and Faith's training," his love's voice was heavy with disdain. "Only she's an ex Watcher thrown out for experimenting with dark magics," Buffy sighed. "If only she'd been a real Watcher I could have had Giles back to myself."  
  
Angel forced back the urge to shake his head. He knew Buffy missed being the apple of Giles' eye but from what Buffy had said about both Kendra and Faith's backgrounds; neither girl had a caring parental figure in their life before Giles. To want to take that away from them wasn't selfish, he was sure Buffy hadn't even thought of that, just inconsiderate. Still it damaged his golden image of her he'd built up over the time before Angelus had returned. "You said Giles thinks Ms. Post came to Sunnydale after a piece of occult weaponry?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Buffy nodded. "Something called the Glove of Myhnegon."  
  
Angel swallowed; this was bad very bad.  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh bloody hell!"  
  
Jonathan jumped as the Englishman let out a frustrated roar, Xander just chuckled, he was used to the Watcher's explosions of temper. "What's up G- Man?"  
  
"Don't call me that," the Englishman muttered half-heartedly, "I've just found out the bloody Glove's been under our noses the entire sodding time. It's in the Von Hauptman Crypt in Restview Cemetery. "  
  
"Oh right," Xander stood, "I'll go and check out the crypt." And maybe he would bump into Kendra on patrol.  
  
"I'll come with you."  
  
Xander bit back a groan at Jonathan's eager proclamation, he could handle himself in Sunnydale at night and Jonathan was trying but he had poor strength and stamina, and lousy co-ordination, research was definitely his forte. Thankfully Giles saved him. "No Jonathan I need you to research the Glove's properties and how to destroy it."  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm going home," Buffy said, "it's not like there's any major action."  
  
"Five by five," Faith didn't bother to look towards the blonde while Kendra nodded her agreement, she preferred it when it was just the two of them anyway. Buffy was okay in a fight but her and Willow weren't her sisters - not like Faith. After a couple of minutes Faith let out a snort. "Well thank fuck for that, Princess has gone," she winked at her. "Patrol for another half an hour and then hit the Bronze?"  
  
Kendra started to nod her agreement only to stop when she noticed a huge figure in the distance. "Who's that?"  
  
Faith grinned at her. "We're in Sunnydale girl, the question should be what's that?" her friend's face turned serious, she hefted her axe. "Let's find out."  
  
"Hey yo!" Kendra rolled her eyes at her companion's shout, Faith didn't have a clue about subtlety, no wonder Jonathan spent the half of the time he wasn't delirious with happiness looking terrified. "You Largos?" Without waiting for an answer Faith started to run. "'Course you are!" Shaking her head Kendra followed.  
  
Faith launched herself into the air, landing feet-first in the chest of the demon. To Kendra's amazement the kick only staggered the demon. "Fuck!" exploded Faith as she rolled to her feet. "He's a strong one!"  
  
Kendra didn't bother to voice her agreement, choosing instead to drop into a forward roll that took her underneath Largos' axe-swing and inside his defences. Drawing her sword, she thrust at the demon's heart only for the giant monster to swing his axe backwards to block her attack and follow up with a back-hand fist that knocked her to the floor. Cursing, she rolled out of the way of Largos' axe-swing that threatened to take her head off. Rolling to her feet, she leapt into a spin kick that snapped her adversary's head backwards at the same instant that Faith slid in with a dropkick to the knees that took the demon's legs from underneath him and sent him crashing to the ground. Before the demon had chance to regain his feet, they both snatched up their weapons and set about decapitating and dismembering him. "Hey," Faith picked up Largos' axe, "that is one wicked weapon. I think it'll come in very handy."  
  
"Faith!" Kendra scolded. "Running in like that was reckless in the extreme! We should have formulated a plan. And another thing!"  
  
"Yeah what?"  
  
"As senior Slayer," Kendra snatched the axe out of her surprised counterpart's hands, "I get first choice of the booty." Laughing she started running, her sister's furious cries echoing in her ears.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander whistled tunelessly as he walked through Restview Cemetery. He kept a careful eye on his surroundings but didn't expect any trouble, not with three Slayers patrolling Sunnydale and his own burgeoning reputation. He stopped for a second, finding his bearings, then continued on. If he remembered right the crypt was just around the -. His heart stopped as he recognised the figure climbing out of the crypt carrying a bundle in his hands that could only be the Glove.  
  
"Oh shit," Xander felt his heart begin to pound uncontrollably. Angel? But how did he get back to hell? Did Buffy even send him to hell or had Willow returned his soul and the two had run off together? If he had been to hell, did Buffy know he was back? Was he Angel or Angelus? His mouth dry with fear, Xander followed the oblivious vampire through Sunnydale's darkened streets, ignoring every instinct that told him to run. Eventually the vampire entered the Crawford Mansion; Xander shook his head in disgust, "doesn't even have the sense to change his base." His stomach clenched painfully as he watched Buffy run up to Angel and start kissing him, and after all he'd done, thank god they now had two Slayers who'd do what was needed.  
  
* * *  
  
"G-Man! We've got a big problem!" Xander slowed as he registered the presence of the two Slayers and Jonathan in the library with the Watcher, well at least Willow wasn't here, she'd probably go running off to Buffy and warn her they'd found out about Deadboy. If she didn't already know, anything to keep Buffy happy, god she reminded him so much of one of Cordelia's Cordettes the way she slavishly followed Buffy around.  
  
The Watcher rose, his eyes anxious. "Yes Xander what's happened? Is it the Glove?"  
  
"Kind of," Xander paused; suddenly he wished he'd taken the time to compose something to say. "Angel's back and Buffy knows, she was with him."  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
The Watcher's face turned ashen-grey and he slumped down on his chair. Instantly, the two Slayers were at the Englishman's side. Faith turned a pair of blazing eyes on him making him take a step backwards. "Fuck Xand! I thought I was the tactless one!" the Slayer's voice and face softened as she turned to Giles. "You five by five G?" the Watcher smiled and nodded weakly. "What we gonna do about this Watcher guy?"  
  
The answering fire in the Watcher's eyes made Faith's of only a few seconds ago seem cold by comparison. "I'll tell you exactly what we'll do."  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy hummed merrily as she made herself into the library, Giles had been off with her this morning when they'd trained, but all would change when she told them she'd discovered the whereabouts of the Glove. And when she told the others that Angel was the one who'd found it they'd have to accept him back. Her pace slowed and her humming stopped as she noticed the set expressions on the gang's faces. "Hi guys," she said brightly. "I've found the Glove, well a contact has."  
  
"By contact I assume you mean Angel."  
  
Buffy felt her legs go weak at Giles' words. "It's not what you think."  
  
"Hope not," Xander snapped, "because I think you're harbouring a vicious killer."  
  
"This isn't about attacking Buffy." Willow broke in. "Remember, 'I' statements only. 'I feel angry.' 'I feel worried."  
  
"Oh shut up you sheep Willow," Cordelia snorted. "Fine. Here's one: I feel worried... about me! Last time around, Angel barely laid a hand on Buffy. He was *way* more interested in killing her friends."  
  
"But he's better now," she defended weakly.  
  
"Better for how long, Buffy?" Xander broke in. "I mean, did you even think about that? Do you even care?"  
  
"What is this, Demons Anonymous?" she snapped "I don't need an intervention here."  
  
Giles rose. "Oh, don't you? You must've known it was wrong seeing Angel or you wouldn't have hidden it from all of us."  
  
"I was going to tell you, I was. I-it was just that I... I didn't know why he came back. I just wanted to wait."  
  
Faith snorted, "wait to go pelvic?"  
  
"I don't need lessons on morals from you," she sneered at her brunette counterpart, "I'm not going to... We're not together like that."  
  
"But you were kissing him," Xander accused.  
  
"You were following me!"  
  
"Do me a favour!" Xander let out a laugh quite unlike his usual warm guffaw, this one was harsh, bitter. "If I was going to stalk someone, you're so low down the list it's not funny. No I was at the crypt when your honey-bunny turned up."  
  
Kendra stepped in front of Xander, her posture defensive. "What gives you the right to be with your demon lover again? Last time I nearly died because of his childe."  
  
"It was an accident," this wasn't going the way she planned.  
  
"What, you just tripped and fell on his lips?" Cordelia broke in.  
  
"It was wrong, okay?" she began to babble desperately. "I know that, and I know that it can't happen again. But you guys have to believe me. I would never put you in any danger. If I thought for a second that Angel was going to hurt anyone..."  
  
Xander raised an eyebrow. "You would stop him? Like you did last time with Ms. Calendar?"  
  
Buffy felt herself pale, that was so unfair, he was Angel they should forgive him. "But he's better now. I swear. Look, you guys, he's the one that found the Glove of Myhnegon. H-he's keeping it safe for us in the mansion."  
  
Xander spread his hands. "Right! Great plan. Leave tons of firepower with the scary guy and leave us to clean up the mess."  
  
Xander made to leave the library. Buffy reached out and grabbed him by the arm spinning him around to face her. "You would just love an excuse to hurt him, wouldn't you?"  
  
Buffy recoiled at the look of hatred on her former friend's face. "I don't need an excuse. I think lots of dead people actually constitutes a reason."  
  
"Right," she sneered. "And this is all nobility. This has nothing to do with jealousy."  
  
Xander shook his head, "get over yourself Summers, I got over you the night Ms. Calendar died, that night I realised what a selfish bitch you really are." Her friend looked down haughtily at her, "I see you and you know what I see? Someone with more blood on their hands than half the people on California's Death Row combined. If Kendra had died at Drusilla's hands I'd had killed you that night. If you get in my way over this I'll kill you now."  
  
"Think you could?" Buffy raised her hand to punch Xander only to stop at the sound of chairs being thrown to the floor. Turning she saw Kendra and Faith advancing on her, their faces set.  
  
"Ready for a little two on one action B?" Faith asked coldly.  
  
"You think you can beat us both Buffy?" Kendra asked, "because if you think either of us will let you hurt Xander to protect a demon."  
  
"You can't attack Buffy!"  
  
"Shut it Red," growled Faith, her eyes not moving from her, "we're not the ones abusing our powers."  
  
"That's enough!" everyone turned at the authority in Giles' voice. "Everybody. Now, Buffy knows our concerns, and her actions, however ill- advised, can be understood. Our... priority right now is to retrieve the Glove of Myhnegon and try to destroy it. Now, all of you, back to classes."  
  
One after another they all got up, gathered their things and left. Giles walked into his office, his hands firmly stuffed into his pockets. Once there he took off his jacket and hung it around the back of his chair. She followed him and stopped by the office door. "Thanks for that Giles," her voice trailed off when Giles turned his cold eyes on her.  
  
"Listen very carefully to this, Miss. Summers, you have shown you have so little regard to what that vampire did to me both by torturing me and more importantly by killing Jenny," the Watcher put his hands on the desk separating them and glared at her. "If not for the fact that the Council would probably remove from Kendra's and Faith's supervision I would have no hesitation as resigning as your Watcher. As it is I will supervise your training and aid in research, but from now on my parental responsibility will be split between Kendra and Faith. I have no wish to see you outside Slaying matters. Now get out."  
  
"B..but." This was so unfair he was her Watcher, why couldn't he understand that her and Angel were fated?  
  
The Watcher slammed his fist on the desk. "Out now!" Tears streaming down her face she ran from the office.  
  
* * *  
  
"So where are my two favourite girls heading this fine morning?"  
  
Kendra felt a warm glow as her boyfriend looped an arm around her shoulders while doing the same thing to Faith. "What's with the arm Xman?" asked her sister.  
  
"Can you imagine the kudos I'm getting having not one but two babes hanging off me?"  
  
Their elbows simultaneously caught Xander in the stomach, doubling him up. "So where are you heading," Xander wheezed.  
  
"The library to see if Giles' has decided what to do about Angelus."  
  
All traces of the class clown left her boyfriend's face. "Let's go then."  
  
Kendra's heart missed a beat as she pushed the door open and saw the crumpled body lying on the floor, she vaguely heard her sister slayer let out a fearful scream. "G!"  
  
A half-second later they were knelt over the body, Faith cradling the man's bloody head in her hands, tears streaking down her face, her holding the man's limp hand, it felt so cold and lifeless, and Xander dialling an ambulance. "Angel did this," she growled.  
  
"I don't know Ken," Xander said doubtfully, "where are the bite-marks. What do you think Faith?" her fellow Slayer didn't answer, her eyes glazed over, she seemed in a world of her own.  
  
Finally she stood. "I'm going to kill him."  
  
"Kendra we don't know," Xander said weakly, "not for sure."  
  
"Look after Giles and Faith," turning she ran out of the library. Angelus would pay and then, then she'd deal with the bitch who hadn't staked him like she should have done.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hello, I'm Mr. Johnson, from the Watcher's Council. That is the Glove I believe?"  
  
Angel looked up at the stern looking Englishman and nodded. "I'm just setting up the living flame to destroy the Glove."  
  
The Englishman's face blanched. "Oh no, that isn't good, no not at all," the Watcher glanced worriedly at his preparations. "If the spell's done incorrectly it can ignite the Glove."  
  
"Oh right," Angel started to turn towards his materials only for his head to explode in pain when the Watcher hit him over the head with a shovel, knocking him to the floor. Growling ferally, Angel leapt to his feet, morphed into his demonic face and started towards the man, grabbing him around the neck and flinging him into the wall.  
  
Suddenly the door crashed open. "Another victim Angelus, just like Giles?"  
  
Angel turned to the angry Slayer. Giles was dead? "Kendra-."  
  
His words were cut off by a kick to the jaw that staggered him. "You're not going to hurt anybody again vampire," her eyes burning, the Slayer rocked him backwards with a combination of blow that had him back- pedalling. Several times he saw openings that the Slayer had left in her fury but refused to use them, hoping she'd realise he wasn't fighting back and give him a chance to explain. Finally the Slayer leapt into the air, the toe of her foot catching him under his jaw, lifting him off his feet and sending him crashing to the floor. Stunned, he could only watch helplessly as the Slayer landed next to him, her stake raised. "Time to die vampire."  
  
"Nooo!"  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy wiped her eyes as she hurried to Crawford Mansion. She'd been so upset by what Giles and Xander had said, it was so unfair, only Willow had even bothered to try to understand, she'd never gone to see Angel last night. Angel was wonderful, if Xander wasn't so petty and jealous. She picked up her pace as she neared the house, noticing the shattered door. Running in she saw the stunned man lying on the floor, Kendra must have attacked him to get to Angel, typical, and the Slayer crouched over her love. "Nooo!"  
  
Rushing over she grabbed hold of Kendra's arm, stopping her from murdering Angel, and received a nose-breaking headbutt in reply. She staggered backwards, tears of pain blurring her eyes she didn't see the other Slayer's leg sweep the ground, taking her legs from underneath her. "Vampire lover!"  
  
"Kendra!" she rolled out of the way of the Slayer's stomp and sprang. "Angel wouldn't do anything, calm down!"  
  
Kendra shook her head even as she threw a right cross that she barely slid beneath. "You're meant to be a Slayer," her counterpart pointed at Angel. "Vampire - kill."  
  
"There's a lot that you don't understand," Buffy blocked a left hook on her forearm, wincing at the pain that exploded in her arm, only Lothos and the Master had been stronger than her sister Slayer.  
  
"I understand you let a vampire murder because of your lust!" Kendra executed a full spinning hook kick to her face, knocking her to her knees. The other Slayer followed up with two kicks to her stomach while she was still on the floor. Rolling to her feet she did an uppercut punch to Kendra's right arm, knocking the stake from her hand before backhanding Kendra across the face, and punching her in the chest. Her rival stumbled backwards, eager to take advantage she leapt into the air and attempted a double roundhouse kick that Kendra blocked before stepping backwards, She followed up with a backhand punch that was also blocked but whirled around and punched her foe in the face with her other hand. Kendra retaliated with a blow to the stomach that she managed to block and hit Kendra with a double-punch combo in the gut and then in the face, bloodying her nose.  
  
Rocked by her attack, Kendra dropped to the ground, but quickly retaliated with a sweep kick at her legs that she just barely managed to jump over. Her adversary scrambled back up, and launched a pair of roundhouse kicks that she just blocked before attempting a high crescent kick, that Kendra slid smoothly under before coming back up with a spinning back kick that hit her squarely in the back, sending her to her knees. In an instant her rival had her in a choke hold around her neck. Grabbing her rival's arm she flipped her off, both of them landing in a heap.  
  
Kendra rolled into a near-by wall, hitting her head. Seeing a chance, Buffy scrambled to her feet and ran at her rival only to be caught by a snap kick to the leg that tripped her, making her fall again. Rolling into a crouch, she saw Kendra attempt an axe kick. Grabbing her rival's ankle she threw her off balance and to the floor but Kendra sprang straight up to her feet. Buffy rushed at Faith grabbing her around the waist. The other Slayer tried to throw her off and the force of their struggles caused them both to go crashing through the French doors out into the grounds.  
  
Both girls immediately leapt to their feet, Kendra glared at her before spinning around and backhand punching her in the face. Her opponent tried a follow-up punch but this time she was ready and blocked her only to catch another in the gut and another backhand punch to her face, forcing her to her hands and knees. The other Slayer advanced on her, but she executed a crouching back kick to her stomach, making her rival stagger backward into a metal garden chair.  
  
Suddenly a bolt of lightning shot out of the mansion, narrowly missing Kendra. They both turned to see the man who'd been lying on the floor. "Time to die Slayers."  
  
"Don't think so," suddenly a shotgun exploded, its boom filling their ears as the man was torn in half, the two Slayers turned in amazement to see a cold-eyed Xander standing there. "Giles came round, told us about Johnson hitting him. He thinks that asshole must be in league with Post. You okay Kendra?" her counterpart nodded. "Let's get out here then."  
  
"See?" Buffy pronounced triumphantly. "I was right." Now they had to apologise.  
  
Xander shook his head as he helped Kendra to her feet. "No you weren't Buffy, you were lucky. Let's go Ken," Xander glared at her boyfriend, "what you and her get up to is your business Deadboy but stay the hell away from the rest of us."  
  
* * *  
  
Giles winced at the loud knocking, his head was still hurting from the statue Johnson had hit him with. Getting tricked twice in a week, he was losing his marbles. "Coming," he roared as he hurried to the front door, he wondered idly which of his girls had forgotten their keys this time. After picking up his crossbow, checking it was loaded, and sliding it behind his back, he opened the door his blood at the sight that greeted him. "Angelus," he grated, forcing himself not to give in the Ripper within him screaming for him to kill the bastard, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"Can I come in?"  
  
"Last time you were in my house you left the love of my life on my bed so no," Giles shook his head, He pointed his crossbow at the vampire. "What do you want?"  
  
"I'm here to discuss Buffy," the vampire hesitated, "she's heartbroken over what happened. I understand your anger with her but -."  
  
"You understand?" Giles raised an eyebrow, "that's very charitable of you Angel. Let me point out a few facts for you. I blame three people for what happened last year. Myself, for not researching your curse and for not insisting that Buffy keep her relationship on a strictly professional basis, you for doing what you did, although that is a little akin to blaming a rabid dog for attacking. But most of all I blame Buffy, for not doing her job, for running away after she finally did as she should, leaving her friends to tend to her duties, if not for Kendra we would have probably all died."  
  
Angel sighed. "Giles I'm sorry-."  
  
The vampire's voice trailed off as he fired the crossbow bolt into the door frame. "I don't want to hear it Angel, if I have to see you it will be on patrol or at the library. You're not welcome here, come here again and I will endeavour to kill you. Now piss off!"  
  
Once he'd closed the door he slumped against the wall, the tears he'd been holding back streaking down his face. "Oh Jenny, I'm sorry I couldn't kill him."  
  
* * *  
  
Faith bit back a curse as she glanced over her shoulder and saw the figure stalking away from her home, the light of a lamp catching the man's face allowing her to recognise the man as Angelus. "Fucking bastard," she muttered before forcing a weak smile and glancing towards her oblivious companions. "I don't feel too good," she lied, "I'm going home."  
  
Kendra glanced at her. "What's wrong Faith?"  
  
Faith smiled, more genuinely than before. Her friends' concern always gave her a warm feeling, nobody had ever given a shit about her before Sunnydale. "Woman's stuff, just a stomach cramp."  
  
"Say no more," Xander shuddered theatrically before winking. "You want us to tell Jonathan you'll see him tomorrow?" Faith nodded. "See you then."  
  
Once her friends had disappeared Faith glanced towards the departing man. "Class is in session asshole." Running, she cut through the town to get in front of the vampire before coming out in front of him, some four streets away for G's crib. Putting a frightened look on her face, she hurried towards the vampire, her hand dipping into her pocket grabbing her garlic spray. "Hey pal!" she shrieked, forcing a tremble into her voice. "There's two weird guys with yellow eyes following me."  
  
The man's posture changed, damn he was good-looking, shame he was a member of the living dead. "Don't worry miss," sexy voice too. "I'll, arggh!"  
  
The vampire let out a scream as she prayed the garlic into his eyes. Before he had chance to recover she slammed a foot into his gut, doubling him up and grabbing him around the throat and before throwing him into the near-by wall. The vampire staggered towards her only to be caught by her kick to the balls. After grabbing the vampire by his collar she threw him face-first to the cobblestoned ground before flipping him onto his back, kneeling across her throat and holding his stake over the vampire's throat. "Name's Faith I'm the third Slayer, pleased to meet you," the vampire started to move, "naughty, naughty," she pressed the stake down slightly piercing the flesh. "You stay exactly where you are otherwise."  
  
"I'm on your side!"  
  
"Guess what? I don't care!" She leaned down until she was just inches from the vampire's still streaming eyes. "G means more to me than any man I've ever met, he's like the pa I've always wanted," her voice grew hoarse with emotion, "and you killed the only woman he's ever loved. And you think you can just turn up at his house? You stay away from G, if you ever go near him me and Ken will be with there watching his back. Go near his home again, even to ask for a cup of tea and we'll do what your B never could and slay your undead ass, understand?" the vampire nodded. "Good," after standing she slammed her foot into his jaw. "Bye now." Now was the hard part.  
  
"Hi G." The Watcher looked up, Faith grimaced. The man's eyes were reddened, he'd been crying because of that bastard, maybe she should just find the fucker and stake his undead ass. "Hello Faith, weren't you meant to be patrolling tonight?"  
  
"Nah," she dropped down on the couch beside the Watcher and grinned. "You got a nasty bang on the head, so we figured you'd need a nursemaid," she winked, "so you wanna me to slip into my nurse's uniform G?"  
  
The Watcher chuckled. "Don't ever change Faith."  
  
"Don't intend to G," not if you like me the way I am, she added silently. "I listened to those CDs you lent me - you know, Traffic and Cream?"  
  
"Oh really?" the Watcher looked interested, "and what did you think?"  
  
"Not bad," they were actually five by five but she couldn't let G know that, "they're no Pearl Jam or Nirvana though."  
  
"A fact we can all be grateful for," the Watcher retorted, "you yanks have no appreciation of good music."  
  
"Hey we created rock 'n' roll remember!"  
  
"Pearl Jam are hardly Buddy Holly or Eddie Cochran."  
  
"Damn straight! Wait," Faith paused in thought, "who the fuck are Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran anyway?"  
  
The Watcher shook his head. "You bloody philistine, pass me my record collection and I'll educate you."  
  
"Sure G," Faith jumped up eagerly and lifted up the Watcher's record box. She lived for times like this, when it was just her and G shooting the breeze, she loved the old guy and wasn't going let anyone hurt him. If that meant B and her pet vampire had to die to protect him that was five by five with her. 


	6. 6

Three Slayers 6 - Back In Town  
  
"Xander, we need to talk. What you said to Buffy was out of line, you're being totally unreasonable. You should apol-."  
  
"Apologise?" Xander slammed his locker shut and glared at the red-head stood beside him. "Listen very carefully Willow as far as I'm concerned Buffy has chosen her side - and it isn't the humans!"  
  
"But she loves him!"  
  
"This isn't 'Gone With The Wind' or 'Casablanca', this is real life and in real life Slayers aren't supposed to let vampires get away with their crimes, they stake them. If you could stop your hero worship for thirty seconds then maybe you'd see how wrong Buffy was. Well now we've got two real Slayers in town, two who like humans more than demons, you might want to remind Buffy of that next time she thinks about getting physical with that bastard."  
  
* * *  
  
"How could she!" Spike flung his bottle of whiskey into the wall, shattering it. He stared around the deserted factory that had once served as his base. "If only bloody the bloody poofter hadn't lost his sodding soul, Dru would still love me," he muttered brokenly, "instead the bitch starts crushing on him." His voice grew high-pitched. "Uh my daddy, he's so handsome." He kicked a stone across the dusty floor. "Bloody Peaches, if he wasn't in hell I'd put him there myself. I mean how could she? A slime demon, I'm witty charming, all the time she was ill I looked after her. Well no more!" he felt his features shift into his demonic face. "I'm going to get her back, and when I do I'll torture her until she loves me again. Yeah, that's what I'll do."  
  
"Don't like it in 'ere anymore. Too many memories. Where can I go? I know eat first." His gait unsteady from the four bottles of whiskey he'd drunk, he stumbled out into the night. He smiled slightly at the sight of an attractive Oriental teen climbing out of her car. "Oh nice and juicy, maybe I'll play with my food before eating."  
  
Spike grinned as he dropped the drained body. He'd raped the girl first, getting off on her screams and whimpers before revealing his demonic face. And then his fun had really begun. "It feels good to be undead!" Picking up his pace he hurried to Angel's old place.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Spike pulled away from the window, his mind whirling with a dozen different thoughts. How the bloody hell was Peaches here? The world hadn't been sent to Hell, so that bint had stopped but not slain him. The fact he was reading poetry and not out creating havoc was out of character, unless. "That bloody Wicca gave him his soddin' soul back," he muttered before smiling slowly. That took power, power he could use to get his Dru back.  
* * *  
  
Mayor Wilkins squinted in concentration, this was important, he couldn't mess it up. Finally he took his shot and watched as the golf ball missed the hole. "Oh, look at that! Every time, cuts to the left." Groaning, he got down on his hands and knees and checked the lie of the floor. "And it's not the carpet. It's me." He got up and looked up at his deputy. "I swear, I would sell my soul for a decent short game. Of course," he chuckled, "mine's spoken for. " He smiled at his deputy. "What about yours Allan? I don't suppose I could offer your soul, huh? Really help me on the green." His deputy paled, he waved his hand. "I'm just funning. So, we have a Spike problem, do we? "  
  
Allan nodded. "He's been spotted back in town."  
  
This time his shot was on target but came up short. He let out a frustrated sigh before retrieving his ball. "Well, yes, y'know, he was up to all sorts of shenanigans last year," he shook his head. "We had a world of fun trying to guess what he'd do next."  
  
His deputy leaned against his desk. "I remember." Irritated, he glanced at Allan, immediately his deputy stood back up.  
  
He shook his head, he couldn't put up with William The Bloody's schemes this year. "This year is too important to let a loose cannon rock the boat."  
  
His deputy nodded. "Should I have Mr. Trick send a... committee to deal with this?"  
  
He began to nod only to stop when a troubling thought hit him. "Loose cannon. Rock the boat. Is that a mixed metaphor?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"In the old days boats did have cannons. And a loose one would cause it to rock. Oh, honestly. I don't know where my mind goes these days," he chuckled before turning serious. "Why don't you take care of that Spike problem? A committee, like you said."  
  
Allan nodded. "As good as done."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander made his way down the darkened school corridor. He looked up at the lab ahead and sighed. After this morning he'd decided he'd have to make up with Willow, not apologise he had nothing to apologise for, but smooth the waters over, he had too many years of friendship to throw it all away. Pushing the door open he saw his friend crouched over a lamp-lit table, so engrossed in what she was doing that she failed to notice his entrance. Xander walked over to the desk and glanced idly at the two books open on the table only for his eyes to widen in shock at what he saw. "Mind control spells, you're going to cast a spell on me?" Willow's head snapped up, the guilty look on her face confirming his suspicions. "Xander-."  
  
"How dare you? What gives you the right to mess with my mind?"  
  
"If we got things back to the way before those two bitches -."  
  
He cut off the red-head's words with an angry sweep of his arm, knocking the desk's contents off the table, breaking several expensive scientific instruments and scattering the books and ingredients across the floor. "Never ever refer to Kendra and Faith like that!" he roared, angrier than he'd ever been, even more furious when he'd discovered Buffy was hiding Angel. "Those two bitches as you called them have always treated me with respect and listened to my opinions, have always treated me as an equal. Not like you two, I'm just donut boy to you! What happens if this spell works? Do you cast one where I'm in love with you?" he slammed a fist onto the desk, the blaze in his eyes making the Wicca back off. "Because you better have some pretty powerful mojo if you think I could ever fall for you! Well you can go to hell -."  
  
Suddenly he was cut off by a hand grabbing him around the throat. "Well what do we 'ave 'ere now?"  
  
Xander's blood chilled at the familiar cockney voice, kicking out with his legs against the wall, he shoved Spike and himself across the room and into a metal shelf. The vampire let out a gleeful laugh before throwing him to the floor. Even as he tried to get up Spike slammed a first into his head causing lights to explode into his head. He dimly heard Willow let out a scream and Spike laugh, rolling up he lunged at the vampire only for the vampire to swing a microscope into his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Spike grinned down at the boy, so now he'd taken out the boy that had backed Angelus down, if that didn't impress Dru he didn't know what would, might even turn the boy once he'd finished with him, yeah he had definite vampire potential. Grabbing the boy he lifted his limp body off the ground and grinned at the sobbing Wicca lying on the floor. "Get up Red if you want the boy to live," after a second the girl obeyed. "Good girl, now pick up your books you're casting a spell for me. Now let's be going."  
  
"Leave him."  
  
He grinned into the wicca's reddening eyes. "Oh no, he's my insurance," he morphed into his demonic face. "Now get moving, otherwise I feed."  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra grabbed her bottle of water and drank, her eyes sparkling. There was nothing in the world to compare with training with a Slayer, Xander and Giles were good, but sparring with Faith was a whole different level, like fighting a vampire but with the safety net of being able to trust her opponent. Hearing the sound of the library double doors crashing open she turned, her eyes filling with worry at the panicked look on the newcomer's face. "Johnno!" Faith ran to meet her boyfriend, "what's up?"  
  
The boy's answer came in wheezing gasps. "Some vampire, snatched Xander, and Willow."  
  
Kendra felt her heart miss a beat, she started forward grabbing the pale- faced teen around the shoulders. "What happened? What did the vampire look like!" Nothing could happen to her Xander.  
  
"I was coming into the school when I heard the sound of glass shattering," the teen babbled, his face paling at the look in her eyes, "so I hurried to the back and saw this bleached blonde vampire carrying Xander's body and dragging Willow behind."  
  
Xander's body? Kendra felt her legs give way beneath her. She would have fallen except for her sister Slayer grabbing her. "Relax Ken," Faith whispered, "Xand will be five by five." The brunette turned her head towards the Watcher behind them. "What's the plan G?" She turned to see the worried look on her Watcher's face.  
  
"Buffy," the Watcher glanced towards the other Slayer who'd been training with her pet demon, "take him and hit the demon hang-outs for information about where Spike might be staying. Kendra, you and Faith hit the cemeteries, Jonathan, you and Cordelia stay with me, we'll wait for contact from you, you all have your mobiles."  
  
"Five by five G," after giving Jonathan a quick kiss on his forehead, Faith dragged her outside.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well get in! We've got to get to Will and Xander before the others, then Xander will realise how wrong he was to doubt me!"  
  
Angel paused doubtfully not only at Buffy's absurd logic but also at the thought of being in a car driven by her. He'd heard too many stories of Buffy's driving from Willow to willingly get into a car with her. "Are you sure we couldn't get there quicker on foot?"  
  
"Just get in!"  
  
Visions of his undead life ending in an inferno engulfing him, he climbed into the car and did something he hadn't done in centuries. He prayed.  
  
* * *  
  
Willow looked around her surroundings, her entire body shaking. The vampire had dragged them to the basement of a deserted factory that if she remembered what Buffy had told her had served as Spike's base. "W..what do you want from me?"  
  
"A spell. For me. You're gonna do a spell for me," Spike growled.  
  
"Uh, what kind of spell?" she looked with concern at Xander, he hadn't awoken since Spike had hit him over the head.  
  
"A love spell! Are you brain dead?" the vampire walked over to the dresser "I'm gonna get what's mine." Spike opened a bottle of whiskey and began drinking greedily. "Teach her to walk out on me." The vampire took several good swallows, before looking over at her. "What are you staring at?"  
  
"Nothing," she looked away.  
  
"You can do it, right? You can make Dru love me again? Make her beg and crawl!"  
  
"I-I can try," she stuttered, she gasped as Spike grabbed her around the throat.  
  
"What are you talking about, trying? You'll do it!"  
  
"Yes, I'll do it!"  
  
She shuddered as the vampire released his hold and broke his bottle against a bedpost before grabbing her again and pulling her head back. "Lie to me, and I'll shove this through your face! You want that?"  
  
"No..." tears burnt her eyes.  
  
"Right through to your BRAIN!"  
  
"No, please, no..."  
  
The vampire shoved her aside and leant against the bedpost, his voice calming. "She wouldn't even kill me." Spike dropped the broken bottle, and sat down next to her. "She just left. She didn't even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire. I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared?" The vampire paused for a moment to inhale and exhale deeply. "It was that truce with Buffy that did it. Dru said I'd gone soft. Wasn't demon enough for the likes of her. And I told her it didn't mean anything, I was thinking of her the whole time, but she didn't care. So, we got to Brazil, and she was... she was just different. I gave her everything: beautiful jewels, beautiful dresses with beautiful girls in them, but nothing made her happy. And she would fliiirt!" The witch blinked as the vampire began to sniffle. "I caught her on a park bench, making out with a *chaos* demon! Have you ever seen a chaos demon? They're all slime and antlers. They're disgusting." She resisted the urge to shudder as the vampire began to stroke her hair. "She only did it to hurt me. So I said, 'I'm not putting up with this anymore.' And she said, 'Fine!' And I said, 'Yeah, I've got an unlife, you know!' And then she said... she said we could still be friends." She swallowed as the vampire leant over and began to sob on her shoulder. "God, I'm so unhappy!"  
  
Willow patted the vampire's knee. "There, there."  
  
"I mean, friends! How could she be so cruel?" The vampire raised his head, her blood chilled as he started to look at her neck. "Mmm. That smell... Your neck..." He leant in to take a better whiff and then leant back, now in his game face. "I bet you taste good."  
  
Willow jumped up. "Whoa! No! Hold it! Now, now, hold on! I-I'll do your spell for you, and, and, and I'll get you Drusilla back, but, but there will be no bottle-in-face, and there will be no 'having' of any kind with me. Alright?" She sobbed as the vampire grabbed her by the neck and bent her over, but made no move to bite her. Instead he reverted to his human guise.  
  
"Alright." Spike pushed her down on the bed. "Get started."  
  
"Now, I'm not a real witch, you know. I-I don't know if this is gonna work right away."  
  
Spike shrugged before grinning. "Well, if at first you don't succeed, I'll kill him," her heart missed a beat as the vampire nodded towards Xander, "and you try again."  
  
"This isn't enough." She glanced at her supplies, she had to buy some time for the others to find them.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, there are other ingredients I need."  
  
"You've got them, though, at home?"  
  
"Not at home."  
  
Spike shoved his face in her's. "Where?"  
  
"The magic shop."  
  
"I'll have to go and get them then," the vampire grinned, "make your list luv."  
  
* * *  
  
"You five by five?" Faith glanced with concern at her fellow Slayer. Ken looked devastated, she couldn't imagine how crappy her friend felt, well maybe she could if she thought about anything happening to Ken or G, Faith shuddered. Suddenly her eyes narrowed. "Ken, is that someone breaking into the magic shop?"  
  
Kendra looked up and shrugged. "So?" even her friend's voice was lifeless.  
  
"So, Will's a witch right?" Kendra nodded. "Well what would a vampire need a live Wicca for?" when her friend didn't reply she pressed on. "To cast a spell maybe? And what does a Wicca need?" Kendra's eyes widened, suddenly her sister began to run towards the shop, cursing Faith followed.  
  
As she neared the shop, Kendra let out an angry scream. "Spike!" The figure started to turn only for her sister Slayer to leap into the air, and crash feet-first into the figure's chest, knocking him to the ground. Before the vampire, at least that was what she hoped the figure was, could get back to his feet, Kendra was knelt on its chest, her fists a blur as she repeatedly punched the figure in the face.  
  
"Shit, that has gotta hurt," Faith muttered as she hurried after Kendra. "Chill Ken," she urged, "we need it alive remember."  
  
After a second her still glaring friend climbed to her feet, a few seconds later the vampire followed suit, his face battered but his expression cocksure. "Right Kendra, I thought Dru killed you?" the lean vampire turned to her. "Who the bloody hell's the babe?"  
  
"The babe," she darted forward grabbing the vampire around the throat and slamming him into the wall, "is called Faith, and she's the third Slayer. Now what have you done with Xand and Red?"  
  
She was surprised when the vampire's smirk didn't move. "Third Slayer uh? It's getting so a vamp can't move without bumping into one of you. As for your friends," the vampire grinned, "they're safe but unless you let me alone they're dead."  
  
"And if we do, you'll kill 'em anyway!" she snapped.  
  
"You can come along with me if you want," Spike shrugged. "All I want is for the Wicca to cast a spell for me."  
  
"A spell?" a spell for a vamp, that couldn't be a good spell. "What sort of spell?" she demanded.  
  
"Doesn't matter what the spell is," Faith glanced behind her and groaned, great about 15 vampires surrounding them, "you aren't going to cast it."  
  
"Right there Lenny," Spike beamed, "good to see you pissant. You ever meet the Slayers before?"  
  
Faith was pleased when the group's leader paled, good to see their reputations had an effect of the vampire population. "Y..you two can leave," Lenny said, "our business is with him."  
  
"Leave me and your friends die," Spike cheerfully broke in.  
  
"We're not going anywhere," Kendra said.  
  
"Get them!"  
  
Faith moved off to her left. Kendra reacted instantly and moved to her right. Faith threw a front snap kick to the gut of the nearest vampire knocking him down. Another vampire rushed her, but she leapt into the air and connected with full spinning wheel kick to his face. Another vampire tried to slam her into a low wall, but she used her momentum and his leverage to jump sideways over the wall into the outdoor table area of the Espresso Pump. She lands on a table on her back, rolled off and came up in a standing position. A vampire inside the cafe' rushed her from behind but she executed a full spinning hook kick, connecting with his stomach before side kicking a vampire in the neck, sending him flying backwards into some chairs.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Faith saw another vampire coming at her from the side, spinning round she grabbed a round metal table and smacked him hard in the face, knocking him to the floor. Faith glanced desperately around for a weapon, spying a mop by the wall. Rushing over, she stomped on its base, breaking the mop head off and leaving her with a wooden pole. "Works for me." As the vampire attacked again, she swung the stick into the vamp's gut, knocking him to the floor. As the other one tried to get up again, she slammed the pole down onto his face, sending him back to the floor also. Before either vampire had a chance to recover she thrust her makeshift stake through both their hearts, causing them to explode into dust.  
  
All three of them re-grouped outside in front of the magic shop, but in seconds they were surrounded by the remaining vampires. "Through here!" with a quick twist of her wrist she forced the door while her companions slowly backed in towards her. At the last instant they ran into the shop before slamming the door closed in front of the chasing gang of vampires.  
  
Once inside, Faith headed behind the counter to see if she could find a weapon. Shouting orders as she went. "Ken! You and Bleach-Job grab one of the bookcases and slide it over against the front window!" Behind the counter Faith found a chair. "Shit! Is that it?" Muttering curses under her breath, she smashed the chair's legs to use as stakes and threw a chair leg to each of her companions..  
  
Suddenly the back door flew open. Kendra sprang to meet the intruder, sliding beneath his attack before lifting him into the air and flinging him onto a table arrayed with books and candles. Two more vampires rushed in, making their way toward Faith. Kendra slammed the back door closed and leant against it, holding it shut. Faith grabbed hold of the rolling ladder used to reach the upper shelves, and pushed it into the two vampires coming at her, knocking them to the floor. Even as she staked the two vampires she saw Spike stake the vampire lying on the table and the door Kendra had been blocking crash open, the door falling to the ground, trapping her friend beneath it.  
  
The first vampire to enter the room was Lenny. After quickly scanning the room he headed straight for Spike. Behind the gang leader another vampire ran in, Faith rushed to engage him, roundhouse kicking him in the face and followed up with a backhand punch. Her adversary blocked the hit and wrapped his arm around hers and yanked her arm downward. Bracing against the vampire's power she yanked back up and pulled her arm free, before quickly punching him twice in the face, following it up with a knee to the gut and a high punch to the face. Taking advantage of the vampire's stunned condition, she grabbed hold of his hair and yanked the vampire over onto his back before staking him and rushing over to help Kendra to her feet. "You five by five Ken?"  
  
Her friend smiled weakly only to point at the shaking bookcase at the front window. "That window's about to go!" Suddenly Ken grinned and pointed. "Faith look!"  
  
She smirked as she saw what her friend was pointing at. "Wicked idea Ken!" Grabbing the suggested weapons, the two of them turned to see Spike staking Lenny and the window crash open. "Bleach! Get down!"  
  
The vampire dropped to the floor as the remaining horde of vampires stormed the shop. Faith began to giggle as she began to throw the bottles of holy water that Ken had noticed at the vampires, this was wicked fun. The bottles broke as they hit their targets, spraying the vampires and burning them like battery acid. Soon the attacking vampires were making a hasty, screaming retreat. Spike stood back up before letting out a breath of satisfaction. Faith glanced across at Ken, seeing her friend's almost imperceptible nod she flung a bottle of holy water square into the vampire's face. Even as the vampire let out a bellow of agony, they both darted forward, Kendra sweeping the vampire's legs from beneath the vamp while she tipped a bookcase over on the vamp, pinning the demon's legs and stomach beneath the case. Before the vampire had a chance to throw the bookcase off, Faith had his right arm pinned down under her feet and Kendra his left similarly restrained.  
  
"We had a deal!" Spike screamed.  
  
"Guess what?" Kendra crouched over the vampire. "You kidnapped my boyfriend. And you picked the wrong two Slayers to make a deal with. Where are they?"  
  
"Piss off, agg!"  
  
The vampire began shrieking as Faith poured her vial onto the vamp's face and watched with horrified fascination as the vamp's skin began to bubble and smoulder. "How many bottles we got left Ken?"  
  
"Maybe thirty."  
  
"Damn," she opened another bottle and poured it onto the vampire's palm. "With all that we could burn every inch of skin off your body, Billy Boy."  
  
"They're in the old abandoned factory."  
  
Faith supposed she should have felt sorry for the sobbing vampire, but then she wasn't blond. "You want to do the honours, Ken?" Her sister Slayer grinned eagerly before slamming her chair leg into the vampire's chest. Once the vampire had exploded into dust, Ken looked up at her. "Shall we go get our bud, Ken?"  
  
"Let's..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Do you know what this is?"  
  
Willow stared at the list that a very angry looking Giles had passed to her. "It's the list of books I've borrowed off you," she replied uncertainly. Three days had passed since Kendra and Faith had rescued her and Xander from the factory. He'd hardly spoken to her since but that was okay, in a couple of weeks she'd have enough money saved to replace the spell ingredients he'd destroyed in his tantrum and then everything would be alright.  
  
"Precisely," the Watcher took the list from her. "I want every one of those books returned to me by tomorrow morning at the latest."  
  
All the books, but they were her entire collection - the best bits anyhow. "B..but-."  
  
She jumped as the man slammed a fist into the desk, his eyes glittering dangerously, he leaned forward until his face was mere inches from her's. "Let me make this very clear, Xander informed me of what your plan was," she swallowed, oh boy she was in trouble now. "He wanted to have your powers bound. And well," the Watcher smiled a most unGilesish smile, "let's just say it's fortunate for you he had the good sense to tell me when Kendra and Faith were pre-occupied otherwise I somehow think this talk would be unnecessary. Those books will be returned, and you won't so as much look at a magic book in the future without my permission unless you want your powers binding understand?" She nodded fearfully, the Watcher sighed. "Willow, you have tremendous potential, but you are treading a path that led me to become Ripper, caused Ethan Rayne, the zookeeper who caused Xander to be possessed, all sorts of evil. I would rather not be forced to face you as an enemy. Understand?" She nodded fearfully. "Good girl, now go. And don't forget those books." 


	7. 7a

A/N: Thanks Koos for his input into the Christmas scene. Thanks to Zimmo67 for the idea for the scene at the end of this. Hope I do it justice.  
  
Three Slayers 7A - Sisterhood  
  
Faith grinned at Kendra as they made their way through the packed shopping mall, her hand darting constantly in her pocket to feel the thick wad of notes there even as she stared with wonder at the decorations adorning the shops around them and revelled in the sound of carollers. She'd never had a Christmas before, to her mom it had just been another day to get drunk and tell her what a worthless bitch she was. Kendra was in the same boat, her Watcher hadn't beaten her but treated Christmas as just another training day, but this year was going to be different. There was going to be a tree, a turkey, presents, decorations - everything, she even had gifts planned for G, Ken, Johnny, and Xander, saved for from her Council stipend.  
  
She stopped. "Ken?" she turned back to see her friend staring at the window of a camping store. Cursing, she hurried back to her friend. "Ken, what's the sitch? I gotta get to the record store before they sell that Cream box-set I want for G! It's too damn cold to be thinking about camping."  
  
"I know," Kendra looked troubled, "so why is Xander buying a sleeping bag?"  
  
Faith's eyes widened as she glanced across at the store. "Let's find out."  
  
Kendra nodded. "Let's."  
  
"Hey Xand! What you doing buying a sleeping bag in the middle of winter?"  
  
The youth stiffened and turned to face them before smiling weakly. "Uh, I noticed my old one needed replacing."  
  
"Why would you be looking at your sleeping bag in the middle of winter?" Kendra demanded, "and why do you replace it the middle of winter?"  
  
Xander shuffled from foot to foot. "Ken-."  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
Both Faith and Xander flinched at the coldness in Kendra's voice. After a second, Xander spoke, his voice hushed and his eyes fixed on the ground. "My parents get rowdy on Christmas Eve, I sleep outside to avoid the trouble."  
  
Faith's eyes filled with tears, this wasn't right, her friend shouldn't have to go through this, not when she was so happy. She glanced at Kendra and nodded. Reaching forward, they grabbed hold of their friend's arms. "G will know what to do," seeing Xander's mouth begin to open she snapped, "don't argue!"  
* * *  
  
"So you're telling me for the past six years, three of which you've known about vampires, you've been sleeping outside on Christmas Eve?"  
  
"Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve too. It just seemed easier."  
  
Giles couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sometimes he wondered about Xander, he really did, why the boy hadn't come to him about this earlier? "Giles?"  
  
"Yes Kendra?"  
  
"C..can Xander stay here over Christmas?"  
  
"No-."  
  
"What!"  
  
He turned his gaze on Faith who instantly quietened but continued to return his glare with interest. "I was about to say not just for Christmas, Xander I have a cot in the study you can move in there to stay for as long as you ne-." He was cut off by being buried beneath two squealing girls. "Oh bloody hell, get off!" Being hugged by two super-powered young women at once was hard on the old bones. Although deeply pleasurable  
  
* * *  
  
Giles slumped against the hallway wall of his house, exhausted beyond measure. "What a bloody day," he muttered before taking his glasses off and rubbing the lenses as he walked into the lounge. It had been Buffy's Cruciamentum today, the arcane test given to Slayers on their 18th birthday, robbing them of their powers and forcing them to face a vampire, to test their worthiness. At the last moment he had refused to go through with it, he might no longer have the regard for Buffy that he once had but he had no intention to partake in the murder of a young girl. Together they'd just barely managed to kill the vampire sent to test her but he'd been fired by the Council.  
  
"Well they can piss off," Giles snarled, nobody was taking his charges away from him. "Let the buggers come -." He started as he registered the presence of Xander sat on his lounge couch, an unusually intense expression on the young man's face. "Oh hello Xander, not patrolling with the others?"  
  
"No Giles," the young man skewered him with an intense glare. "I think what went on today is more important."  
  
"Oh," for the first time ever the teen was making him nervous. "So you've heard?"  
  
"I've heard," the youth confirmed with a nod. "What you did to Buffy was wrong but you already know that and she's no longer my concern. But Kendra and Faith are, Ken's eighteen in six months and Faith in eleven. What are you going to do then?"  
  
"I won't test them but," Giles' eyes flared, "the Council won't like that."  
  
"Then we'll just have to deal with them when they come," Xander started to stand.  
  
"Xander," Giles hesitated, "I've been fired by the Council."  
  
"Then we'll have to deal whoever they send," Xander finished standing.  
  
Giles' eyes narrowed as he noticed a bulge in Xander's jacket. "What's that?" he pointed.  
  
"This," Giles' blood chilled as the youth opened his jacket to reveal a shoulder holster containing an automatic, "this is Ken and Faith's insurance."  
  
* * *  
  
"Damn it!" Xander flew into the wall, thrown there by a hideous blue- skinned demon. Seeing the monster advance, he rolled away only for Kendra to leap out of the alcove she'd been hidden in, her sword slicing through the monster's heart. The beast let out a scream, its mouth opening to reveal its pointed teeth. Its red eyes bulging in pain the demon fell to its knees before slumping face-first to the cave floor.  
  
Xander glanced up at his smirking girl-friend. "You know," he let out a protesting groan as Kendra pulled him to his feet, "I hate being the bait."  
  
"But you said you liked us working together," Kendra attempted to look innocent but failed.  
  
"Yeah, but why do I have to be the bait?" Xander winced as a pain shot through his head. "You fall so much better than me."  
  
"And yet you've had so much more practice."  
  
Xander glared at his girl-friend. "Yep, Faith's definitely a bad influence on you. What happened to the sweet, shy girl I met in the library all those months ago?"  
  
"Like you said she got lucky," Xander turned to see a grinning Faith coming through the adjoining cavern mouth, "and met me."  
  
"That's not exactly what I said," Xander corrected before glancing at a dazed-looking Jonathan, "you okay Johnny?"  
  
"Fine," the youth's smile was less than reassuring.  
  
"Okay," Xander gazed at a suddenly worried looking Faith, "maybe we should get Giles to look him over."  
  
* * *  
  
Faith glanced around the hushed library, the importance of the occasion giving her goose pimples and causing her mouth to dry with fear. This was the big one, the one for all the marbles. According to what G had said the demons they'd fought were the Sisterhood of Jhe and were planning to open the hellmouth and if they succeeded the world would be overrun with demons. She glanced behind her, what sort of fucking idiot built a school directly over a hellmouth anyway? She turned at the sound of the library doors open, her heart dropping at the figure entering - damn he wasn't supposed to be here.  
  
"Hi gang what's happening?" Jonathan asked cheerfully. "Training, patrolling or research?"  
  
Giles cast her a glance before standing, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his tweed jacket. "Ah, Mr. Levinson. We won't be needing your services for the next few days."  
  
"Uh, why not?" Jonathan looked perplexed.  
  
"We are facing a considerable crisis in the next few days," G began, "it's simply too risky for anything but the super-powered amongst us."  
  
"Xander isn't super-powered," Jonathan pointed out.  
  
"No," G nodded in agreement, "but Xander has considerable experience fighting demons as well as the memories of a 'Nam Green Beret. You on the other hand -."  
  
"Are useless!" Jonathan interrupted, the hurt written across his face as he spun around to leave.  
  
"Oh well done G!" after shooting her Watcher, fuck what the Council said 'cause that what he was, an angry glance, she leapt to her feet and hurried after Jonathan. Grabbing his arm, she spun him round to face her. "Johnny let me explain!"  
  
"Go on then!"  
  
"You see," she swallowed, god this was so hard to say. She reached out to stroke her furious boyfriend's face, but he pulled away. Hurt, she let her hand drop to her side, "before I met you, I just fought for the buzz of winning. But now I fight to keep you safe, you mean the world to me, the way you don't care about all the bad shit in my life, make me feel special. If you're here I won't be able to concentrate, be on my game."  
  
"But-."  
  
"Please."  
  
"Fine!" his face red, Jonathan turned and stormed out of the library.  
  
"Johnny!" tears blinding her she started after him only to stop at a hand on her shoulder and a gentle voice in her ear.  
  
"Let me try Faith," she nodded gratefully at Xander. She couldn't lose her Johnny, he was the best guy she'd ever had.  
  
* * *  
  
Giles came out of his inner office, his face as expressionless as normal but inside he was raging, those bloody idiots in the Council were going to let politics get in the way of saving the world. Bunch of wankers, he couldn't believe he used to work for them. "Any luck Giles?"  
  
"No Kendra," he smiled at the dusky-skinned beauty. "I'm afraid not," his smile died as he saw a devastated looking Faith. He'd have to do something about this, if nothing else he needed her 'on her game' for the fight coming up, and for her own sake.  
  
The girl started as he put his arm around her shoulder only to relax as she realised it was him. "Hi G."  
  
His heart broke at the weakness of the brunette's smile. "Don't worry Faith, Jonathan will come round."  
  
"You think? He seemed awful pissed."  
  
"Of course he will," he soothed, "after all whatever Jonathan is he isn't an idiot and he'd have to be a bloody idiot to give up a chance with a marvellous young woman like you." His remark was rewarded with a slightly widening smile. "Besides if he doesn't come to his senses, I'll have to introduce him to my horsewhip."  
  
The girl giggled. "A horse whip? Didn't know you were kinky G."  
  
He winked at the brunette. "There's a lot you don't know about me."  
  
Straightening, he looked at the sparring Kendra and Buffy. "I'm going to try and contact the spirit guides." He paled as he realised something. "You've eaten all the jellied donuts!"  
  
"Training takes a lot of calories Giles."  
  
He shook his head at Buffy's comments. "My bloody jellied donuts, the world's coming to an end and I don't even have a bloody jellied donut." He turned to leave. "Bloody marvellous."  
  
"Wait Giles," he turned back to see Xander rising out of his seat. "Want some company?"  
  
"What about the research?"  
  
"There's nothing in these books, I might as well go with you, watch your back."  
  
Giles nodded. "Very well."  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra stepped away from her sparring. "Wait," she requested before glancing towards her best friend sat slumped by the desk. Whatever Giles had said to her had temporarily raised Faith's spirits but now her sister Slayer had fallen back into her depression. There had to be something she could take her friend's mind off Jonathan. "Faith!" her friend raised her head off the desk. "Want to go to Willy's, see if we can scare up some information?" after a second her friend nodded. She turned back to Buffy. "Want to come?" she asked, it was only polite to ask.  
  
To her relief Buffy shook her head. "I'll wait for Angel to get back from the magic shop with Willow."  
  
"Okay," she glanced to Faith. "Ready?" her friend nodded. "Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
"Why do all these spirit guides have to hang out in graveyards?"  
  
Giles glanced across at Xander. "Where do you suggest they should be? Perhaps frequenting the Doublemeat Palace?"  
  
Xander glared at him. "Don't get all uppity British with me." The teen's expression turned serious. "Do you think Faith and Johnno will be alright?"  
  
"I'm sure Mr. Levinson will see sense," he smirked, "even if we have to sit him down and make him see sense."  
  
"Oh playing big brother, I love that," Xander grinned at him. "Can I be the bad cop?"  
  
"I was rather thinking we could both be bad cop."  
  
Xander chuckled. "Works for me."  
  
"Oh bloody hell," Giles shoved his equipment back into his holdall as he stared balefully at the mausoleum. Why couldn't something go right, just for once?  
  
"No luck G-Man?"  
  
"None," he confirmed with a grunt.  
  
"See I told you we should rely on brute -," suddenly the youth's voice deadened. "Oh shit, got company. Got your sword?"  
  
Giles swallowed. "Ye-."  
  
"Good." His eyes widened as the youth pulled a shotgun from beneath his overcoat and began firing, the boom of his shotgun destroying the night's silence as the buckshot tore through the two demons advancing on them, sending them both crashing to the ground.  
  
"A bloody shotgun!" Giles exploded when he got his breath back. "What the bloody hell are you doing with your shotgun!"  
  
"After the first incident in the cavern I thought I best get out the big guns so to speak. Aren't you going to chop their heads off before they recover?"  
  
"Um yes," pulling out his sword Giles started towards the injured demons, he was beginning to wonder who was more dangerous the demons or Xander.  
  
* * *  
  
"Fuck," Faith let out a breath as she surveyed the devastated ruin that was Willy's, "I haven't seen a mess like this since a bike bar back in Boston I used to hang in got trashed in a gang war. Willy really knows how to throw a party." Despite her flippancy she was thrown by the state of the demon bar, unmoving bodies lay crumpled everywhere - not that she was exactly worried about the state of demons, while several colours of blood decorated the walls, floor, and ceiling, and looking around she doubted there wasn't one piece of furnishing that hadn't been broken.  
  
"Faith!" she looked up to see her sister Slayer behind the bar counter. "Over here!"  
  
Rushing over, she hurdled over the bar, careful to avoid the shattered glass lying there. She let out a gasp at the sight that greeted her. "Shit Willy, what did they do to you?" The bar owner was lying on the floor, his head and shoulders propped up against the cabinets. Blood was flowing freely from several cuts in his head, his nose appeared to be broken, his eyes were filled with pain, and his face covered in bruises.  
  
The bartender smiled weakly. "So girls, come to audition for those lap- dancing jobs."  
  
Faith chuckled despite the situation. "You in love with pain Willy?"  
  
The bar owner laughed then winced. "Oh no tonight's cured me. It's going to happen before sunrise. That's what they said."  
  
"Why did they do this?" Kendra asked, the two Slayers exchanged worried glances.  
  
"Because they can," suddenly the man doubled up, "oh man."  
  
Kendra crouched down beside the man. "I've phoned for an ambulance."  
  
"Look, kids," Willy let out a pained gasp, "my clientele ain't exactly nuns and orphans, but I... I never seen anything like these demons."  
  
Faith bit her bottom lip. "We're gonna stop them."  
  
"That Hellmouth opens," Willy let out a groan, " they're gonna be the least of your problems is my train of thought." He winced in pain again and coughs, then swallowed again. "If I were you two, I'd grab your gang and run. Have one last blow-out to say good-bye to the world."  
  
"Ken," Faith couldn't tear her eyes away from the battered man, "you head back to the school to tell the others, I'll wait for the ambulance."  
  
* * *  
  
"But Oz is tranquilised?"  
  
Willow nodded. "He's locked in the basement."  
  
"Very well," Giles took a moment to think his strategy through. "Willow will cast the spell under my supervision, Xander provide cover for her, Kendra, you and Faith will fight the demon that arises, Buffy you and him," he wouldn't dignify the vampire's existence with a name, "will guard the double doors from the sisterhood. Xander, I would suggest you stick to using your axe rather than your shotgun, given how fraught the situation is likely to get."  
  
"Xander's brought his shotgun!"  
  
"Buffy," Giles replied wearily. "Now is not the time."  
  
"But he killed someone with that!"  
  
Oh bloody hell, not this old chestnut again, Giles felt his temper snap under the strain. "Yes, and considering the man concerned not only attempted to stave my head in, was trying to kill both you and Kendra at the time, and had plans to use a black arts weapon of considerable power for god knows what, I'm not exactly saving up for flowers for his funeral. And let's not forget," he gazed significantly at the vampire stood beside the blonde, "how flexible your morals is this area can be."  
  
Buffy flinched at his words and the vampire started forward. "Giles -."  
  
In a second he was flanked by his two Slayers. Realising he'd caused a confrontation he sighed. "Calm down everybody, let's concentrate on the situation in hand."  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh boy, how do I get myself into these situations?" Xander stared in horror at the multi-headed beast snapping at his girl-friend and her best friend. Realising that there was little he could do if the monster managed to get past the two Slayers he turned his attention to Buffy and Angel battling the Jhe demons.  
  
Even as he did, one of the demons got past the battling pair. Xander cursed as he glanced quickly at Giles and Willow; they were in the throes of spell-casting. "Looks like I'm up." Hefting his axe he leapt to meet the charging demon only to veer away to the right at the last second, his axe swinging to tear into the demon's side.  
  
The demon let out a high-pitched screech and blood spurted out of the wound but despite its terrible injury the beast shot out a back-hander that he just managed to duck under only to be grabbed around the throat and flung into a near-by bookcase. The bookcase collapsed under the impact, burying him under an avalanche of books. "One way or another G-man's going to get me close to his books." Ignoring the pain pulsating through his body, Xander scrabbled desperately for the shaft of his axe, his eyes fixed on the demon advancing on the Watcher and Witch. Finally his hand found the axe, lifting it he aimed, and threw it.  
  
The axe flew threw the air to hit its target, tearing through the beast's hamstring, the monster let out an anguished howl before plummeting to the ground. "He shoots, he scores!" After struggling to his feet he hurried over to the still screeching beast, picked up his axe and decapitated the monster. Xander grinned as he turned to watch Buffy and Angel fight the remaining demons. "These things are so ugly not even Snyder would date them."  
  
* * *  
  
"Night everybody."  
  
Giles smiled at Kendra. "Kendra you did amazingly well tonight."  
  
The girl reddened and glanced down at the floor. "Just doing my job Giles."  
  
"Yes you were," he agreed placing a hand on her shoulder. "And you did it exceptionally well tonight, all of you did."  
  
"Thanks Giles." He smiled as the girl hurried off upstairs and Xander disappeared into the bedroom\study..  
  
"We going to watch that film you said you wanted to?"  
  
He turned to face Faith. "'Reach for The Sky' you mean?"  
  
"Yeah," the brunette nodded, "you said it would be good for history class."  
  
Noting the weariness in the brunette's posture and feeling tired himself he opened his mouth to decline only to also notice the eagerness in the young girl's eyes. Seeing the enthusiasm on her face only made him wonder what sort of horrors she'd endured as a child to make sitting with him watching a British fifties movie such a joy. "Certainly Faith, it would be a pleasure."  
  
The brunette grinned at him. "Wicked, you get the coca and I'll get the marshmallows, five by five?"  
  
"Oh yes," he replied dryly, "wicked."  
  
Thirty minutes later and the girl had fallen asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Her defences down, Giles couldn't help but think how innocent and childlike she looked. "How anybody could want to hurt you is beyond me my dear," he muttered. Standing he turned the television off before lifting the girl into his arms, marvelling at her slightness, and carried her up stairs to the room they'd turned into Faith's after she'd been living there for a few weeks. After gently placing her beneath her sheets he turned to leave.  
  
"Thanks pa."  
  
Giles stopped at the muttered comment, a lump forming in his throat, taking a step back he kissed the girl on her forehead before moving back to the door. "You're welcome my dear," he whispered before turning and exiting the room, wiping furtively at his eyes. 


	8. 7b

A/N: Runs concurrently with 'Sisterhood'.  
  
Three Slayers 7B- Rise Of A Hero  
  
His lips pursed in thought, Jonathan hurried across the school grounds, his concentration fixed on the Judo manual that Xander had lent him. He could understand the theory behind the martial arts, it was the practice that gave him problems - he just wasn't a natural athlete. He'd have to ask Xander to practice with him some more. Jonathan hid a smile, not that spending time with Xander was a chore, Faith might be his girl-friend but Giles and Xander were the first men to ever notice him, to treat with respect. Suddenly he bumped into somebody, knocking his book to the floor. "Ow sorry!" His apologetic smile faded as he registered just who he'd bumped into - Jack O'Toole, the local psychopath, and one man crime wave. "Oh shit."  
  
The gang leader crouched down to pick up the book he'd dropped. "'Judo - the Essential Guide'," O'Toole let out a harsh laugh, "so you think you're a tough guy do you, know all the moves? Want to try some on me do you?"  
  
Jonathan swallowed nervously. "Not really no."  
  
"But you think you can get away with bumping into me?"  
  
"I think he can."  
  
Jonathan let out a relieved gasp. O' Toole turned away from to face Xander. "You want some of me Harris?"  
  
Xander raised an eyebrow. "Not really no O'Toole, getting your blood out of my clothes will be a chore. So tough guy," Xander stepped towards O'Toole, "why don't you make like a tree and leave."  
  
The gang leader stepped back. "Me and you sometime Harris, when you're least expecting it."  
  
Xander smiled. "Maybe it'll be you and me when you're least expecting it," the thug dropped the book on the ground before walking off. After watching the thug walk off Xander picked the manual up off the ground and passed it to him. "You okay Johnny?"  
  
"Fine thanks," Jonathan's eyes widened, "you just backed off Jack O'Toole, weren't you scared?"  
  
Xander shrugged. "I fight vampires and demons every night; I'd have to be some kind of idiot if I let an asshole like O'Toole worry me."  
  
Jonathan glanced down at the book. "I just wish I was better at fighting so I could help." And not be scared by bullies like West and O'Toole, he silently added. "Give it time buddy," Xander patted him on the shoulder, "you're there for Faith that's the important thing."  
  
* * *  
  
"Johnny! Wait!" Ignoring his friend's voice, Jonathan continued to walk away from the corridor, his heart breaking at what Faith and the others had said. They hadn't said it, but he knew what they thought, he was useless. They needed all the help they could get but he just wasn't good enough. Feeling Xander's hand on his shoulder he tried to pull away but the bigger man was too strong for him and he was spun around to face him. "Johnny calm down. It's not personal-."  
  
"Well it feels it!"  
  
"Look buddy, you're a great guy and no-body doubts your nerve but you're not up to fighting these things yet. It makes strategic sense for you to leave, armies always fight better without non-combatants about -."  
  
"Non-combatants - is that another way of saying dead weight?"  
  
"Faith only doesn't want you here because she cares so much," Xander sighed. "Look why don't you take my car," Xander dropped a set of keys into his hand, "and go hang in the Bronze. Just calm down."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Two hours later and he was sat bored stiff in the Bronze. It wasn't the same without the others - Faith's arm around him, Xander cracking jokes, and Kendra laughing. And he was sick of the popular crowd sniggering at him because he was alone; the jocks probably thought Faith had dumped him so they'd have a chance with her. He decided to call it a night and go home. After getting up he hurried out into the cold night. Anxious to escape the possible vampires lurking in the shadows, he jumped in the car and stepped on the gas without looking ahead. The car lurched forward promptly hitting the car parked in front of them. Cursing he slammed on the brakes and put the car into park. "Oh God! Xander's going to kill me!" His heart pounding, he jumped out of the car and gingerly approached the front of the other car. "Oh thank god," he let out a relieved sigh when his quick inspection revealed there was only some slight bumper damage and a broken taillight on the other car. Smiling apologetically he turned towards the driver of the car. "I'm sorry it's just a little fender bender. It's not..."his words trailed off as Jack O'Toole climbed out of the other car, looking angrily back at him. The thug stood and stared at him for a long moment, "...the end of the world."  
  
Jonathan swallowed as Jack approached him, terrified he began to babble. "Oh, gosh, Jack man, are, are you okay?" he pointed a shaking hand at the bumpers "I am really sorry about that. But your car came out of nowhere."  
  
Jack looked down at the damage and back up at him. "I was parked."  
  
"Look I can cover the damages. I don't have insurance in the strictest sense of the word, but I have a little money. The important thing is that we're alright and we can work this out like two reasonable..." Jack pulled out a very long hunting knife and held it up. Jonathan felt his mouth dry. "Now I'm sure you don't do anything rash."  
  
The thug pointed the knife at him. "Where do you want it?"  
  
"I'm fairly certain I don't want it at all, but, uh, thank you," he babbled, "nice offer though. Do much sword-fighting?"  
  
"She's called 'Katie'."  
  
"Oh nice to meet you Katie," he started to edge away, "look I have to be going." Suddenly Jack reached around him with the knife and hooked it behind his ear, forcing him to look at O'Toole.  
  
"Are you scared?" Jack jeered as he traced the tip of the blade around his neck and cheek. "You know what the difference between you and me is?"  
  
"You've got the knife?"  
  
"No," Jack shook his head. "Fear. Who has the least fear?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Jonathan replied. "And it has nothing to do with who has the big, sharp..."  
  
Suddenly Jack slapped the knife into his hand and stepped back. "Come on then show me what you've got." Confused by the abrupt change in circumstances, he glanced down at the knife. As he did, Jack lunged forward, grabbed and shoved him back onto the hood of the car before grabbing his hand and twisting it so the knife is pointing at his neck and, despite his best efforts, was slowly bearing down on his throat. Just then a flashlight shone into Jack's face.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Shit!" Jack released him, quickly palming the knife. Jonathan let out a relieved gasp as he glanced towards the intruder seeing a police officer. The officer turned off his flashlight and slowly approached.  
  
"What's goin' on?"  
  
"Nothing." Jack shuffled his feet. "Just rasslin'."  
  
"O'Toole." The police officer flashed his torch into the gang leader's face. "What a surprise." The patrolman turned to him. "He attack you?"  
  
Jonathan looked at Jack. If he ratted on O'Toole he'd get away, but if O'Toole got bail or one of his friends caught up with him it would be even worse. "No. Just blowing off steam. Two guys rasslin'. You know 'Monday Night Raw'."  
  
The police officer glanced from him to Jack before nodding. "Do it somewhere else, huh?" Shaking his head, the cop left. Jonathan dropped his head in relief. Remembering about the thug behind him, he glanced over his shoulder only to be confused by Jack's smirk.  
  
"What?"  
  
Jack nodded. "That was alright. Could've narc'd on me. Didn't do it. Decent of you. I like you. Wanna party?"  
  
Jonathan took a second to think over the offer, there was nothing he wanted to do less but if he refused, the thug's new good mood could quickly disappear. "What do you have in mind?  
  
"Well, I was on my way to get the boys. Gonna cruise around." Jack checked out his wheels. "We'll take your wheels."  
  
"What about your car?"  
  
"It ain't mine."  
  
Jack shook his head in disbelief, all this trouble for nothing. "Great. Where to?"  
  
Jack opens the door and slides in to the far side. "Gonna get the boys!"  
  
"Yeah." Jonathan pulled the door shut. "So, where're the boys?"  
  
* * *  
  
"I had to ask," Jonathan muttered in disgust. Ever since he'd started hanging with Faith and the others it seemed he spent half his time in cemeteries. Normally he didn't mind but then normally he wasn't with some nutjob trying to raise three zombies. Now he was back in the car with Jack's buddy Bob standing on the back seat with his fists raised into he air.  
  
"LET'S GET SOME BEER! YEAH!" Bob roared.  
  
The other dead boys yelled in agreement. Jonathan shuddered as he looked at Parker, the last one of the group to be raised. Parker's face was decayed beyond recognition, having lost much of its flesh, exposing parts of his skull. Suddenly Parker let out a yell. "Dude! Let's go pick up some girls, man. We'll hang out at Taco Bell, get some girls, go cruise around..."  
  
"Good luck," Jonathan muttered. He figured Parker would have less luck with the girls than him pre-Faith.  
  
"I wanna bake a cake."  
  
Jonathan glanced nervously back at his unwelcome guests. "If you guys want me to drop you off somewhere, that's..."  
  
"Nah." Jack interrupted, patting him on the shoulder. "You're with us now."  
  
Parker reached up from behind and patted him on neck and cheek with his grossly rotten hands. "Oh yeah, man, you on the team now, baby. Whoo-hoo!" Jonathan quelled the urge to shudder as the others chuckled.  
  
"What're we going to do?" asked Bob.  
  
"Well, I've heard some interesting suggestions," Jack replied "but I'm going to have to go with Dickie's. Let's bake a cake."  
  
"Yeaaaaah!" came the cry from the back.  
  
Ten minutes later Jonathan pulled to a stop in front of a hardware store in downtown Sunnydale. "Alright!" Jack leapt out. Dickie pushed the front backrest forward before getting out. Bob and Parker just jump over the side of the car. Jack turned to him. "You stay here and keep the motor running."  
  
"Uh, this time of night, I'm pretty sure nothing's open." Jonathan pointed out. He winced as Bob grabbed a newspaper vending machine, yanked it from the sidewalk and flung it into the hardware store window. It shatters loudly. "But they're always open for *crime*." The dead boys all climb into the store. Xander holds on tightly to the steering wheel and fidgets nervously in his seat. "Okay. Now I'm involved in crime. I'm the criminal element. "  
  
In a few minutes the others hurried out of the hardware store. Dickie holds up two bags full of ingredients for him to see. Dickie smiled. "We got the cake mix!" he yelled before throwing the bags in the back. Jonathan's brow furrowed as a puzzling thought occurred. What sort of cake do you get from a hardware store?  
  
"Where you wanna bake it?"  
  
Jack stared at him. "I'm thinking Johnny needs to be made part of our gang."  
  
Bob comes around to his left. Parker stands to his right. "He doesn't feel like part of the group because he hasn't been initiated," Bob commented.  
  
Jack glanced across at Bob. "Do you think he's ready?"  
  
He forced himself not to flinch when Parker placed a rotting arm around him. "I think he's earned his stripes. I say we let him in, boys. Huh?"  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Dickie laughed  
  
"Great!" Jonathan thought it best to play along. "What do I gotta do?"  
  
"Nothing really," his smile faded when Jack pulled out Katie, "just die."  
  
Jonathan swallowed. "Alright, guys, what... Let's just talk about this." Jack leered at him, constantly turning his knife. "I'm not *dying* to be in the gang, if you get the, um... the pun there."  
  
Bob looked insulted. "What? You're, you're too good to be dead?" He grabbed Jonathan by the lapels of his jacket and lifts him up. "You got a problem with dead people?"  
  
"No prejudices here Bob," he shook his head to emphasise the point. "What about Jack? Jack's not dead."  
  
Jack lowered his knife, reached down and raised his shirt for Jonathan to see the series of bullet holes across his gut. Bob released Jonathan so he can get a better look. Jack dropped his shirt and brought Katie back up level to Jonathan's face. "Drive-by three weeks ago. Grandpappy found my body. I wasn't gone but ten minutes before he raised me. It's a rush, man."  
  
"Let's kill Jonathan." Dickie smiled at him. "It'll be fun!"  
  
"Yeah, man, you could be a full-fledged member." Parker put in.  
  
Jack stepped closer and sneered. "Come on, Jonathan. Take it like a man."  
  
"Alright, enough! You guys have had your fun, but you forgot about *one* thing." He looked at Bob and Parker, and then rushed across the street and into the outside seating area of the Espresso Pump. The zombies gave chase, Jonathan waited for them to follow him into the cafe', then made another break for it, jumping up onto a table and hopping over the low wall surrounding the area. He raced back across the street and jumped into the car. The motor was still running, so he threw it into drive, floored it and burnt rubber, leaving the dead guys behind. He let out a relieved gasp. "I'd say that's pretty much enough excitement for one evening," he paled as he turned a corner. "Oh no, I don't believe my night." He watched as Faith got thrown against a fence, pulled off and thrown against it again by a Jhe demon. The demon pulled her off again, but Faith shook loose and did a backhand swing at the demon's head, making it snap hard to the side. Faith then punched it in the gut and tries for a second hit to the head, but the demon blocked the attempt, grabbed Faith's arm and threw her to the ground. Faith rolled back up in a fighting stance. The demon lunged at her, but she kicked it in the knee and then roundhouse kicked it in the head. Without pausing, Faith launched into a half spinning high wheel kick, which the demon blocked. The demon grabbed hold of Faith's jacket, swung her around, and back into the fence. The demon rushed Faith, who grabbed the fence behind her and lifted herself up to do a twin push kick to the demon's gut, shoving her back hard. Seizing his chance Jonathan drove right into the demon, knocking it onto its ass. "Get in!"  
  
Faith ran to the car and dived into the back seat. Jonathan gunned it just as the demon got to her feet. "Take me back to my place, I need to get changed."  
  
Jonathan pulled the car to a screeching halt outside Giles' apartment. They both run in, watching for any pursuers. Faith opened the door before rushing inside, Jonathan followed, and checked the window before slamming the door shut. "You think Demon Mama followed us?"  
  
"Nah, we're cool." Faith took off her jacket, wincing at the effort. "The bitch dislocated my shoulder, though, come here." After a second Jonathan walked over to her. He looked at her in confusion, but gets closer and reached out to her. A smirk on her face, Faith took his right hand and put it on her left upper arm. He finally realised what he was supposed to do. Faith reached up with her right hand and grabbed his jacket for leverage. She pulled her left shoulder back before jerking it forward. Her shoulder snapped audibly back into place. Faith gasped before rotating her shoulder around in different positions.  
  
"That's better." Faith smirked at him. "She got me really wound up." The Slayer looked at him and runs her hand over his chest. She inhales and exhales deeply. "A fight like that and... no kill... I'm about ready to pop." She smiled at him, still rubbing her hand over his chest.  
  
Jonathan stepped away, shaking his head. "No Faith."  
  
"You're turning me down?" His girlfriend looked hurt and angry. "Shit you still pissed about before? Johnny -."  
  
"No," he shook his head, he was still angry but that wasn't the point, "I don't want it to be like this, I want us to be romantic, not rushed and cheap."  
  
"Fine! Then get out!"  
  
Sighing he pulled on his jacket and hurried out to his car. Once there he glanced into the back seat. His mouth dried as he saw the two bags of stolen ingredients and grabbed one to see what's inside. In it he finds a can of kerosene, a short length of galvanized pipe with caps, wire, primer cord and an electronic timer switch. He takes a second look at the can of kerosene, realising what the "cake" really is. "Gotta find those guys," he half-considered rushing in to tell Faith but decided that she'd got too much on. "I can handle this on my own."  
  
A few minutes later and he pulls up outside the trashed hardware store only to find the place empty. "Long gone. Probably loaded with supplies. Gotta think." He looks into the store and tries to concentrate. "They can't have got far." Turning a corner and he sees the dead boys walking and laughing. "Okay, I got a plan." Jack and Bob hear him approaching and turn around.  
  
"Hey, our wheels." Bob calls out. The group splits up, allowing Jonathan to drive up between them, slowing down as if to stop. Parker is right up by the car, so Jonathan reaches out and grabbed him.  
  
"Hey!" Jonathan hits the gas and takes off, dragging Parker alongside, the car screeches around the next corner, the car weaving from side to side, the other zombies in hot pursuit. "Stop! C'mon, man! Stop!" the zombie lets out frightened scream.  
  
"Where's the bomb?!"  
  
"It's in, it's in the high school!"  
  
Oh god were Faith and the others were going to be. "In the school where?!"  
  
"Oh, God, this really, really hurts!"  
  
"You're dead don't worry about it," Jonathan screeches around the next corner.  
  
"Stop!" Parker let out a panicked scream. "It's in the, it's in the boiler room."  
  
"Alright. Now I'm gonna ask you this once, and you better pray you get the answer right.  
  
"Okay, okay." Parker sobbed.  
  
"How do I defuse..." Before he has chance to finish, the car drifted too close to a curb side mailbox, the mailbox smashing into Parker's head decapitating him. Jonathan screamed in horror at the sight, releasing his hold on Parker's now-headless body. Seeing the others gaining on him he guns his engine. At least he knows where to go.  
  
* * *  
  
His heart pounding, Jonathan barged through a door and runs past the basement access door. He comes back to it, noting the sign stating "Door to remain locked at all times". Jack, Bob and Dickie crash through the hall door and start to chase him.  
  
"There he is!" Jack yelled.  
  
"Three Slayers and I can't find one when I need one?" picking up the pace he raced down the corridor followed by the three zombies. Finally he headed into the student lounge. Satisfied he turned round only to be confronted by an ax-wielding Bob. Seeing the ax swinging towards him, Jonathan jumps backwards out of the way only to lose his balance and fall backwards onto a table. He rolled off of it and onto the floor. After quickly scrambling to his feet he was knocked onto another table by a punch from Bob.  
  
"Now this is what I call fun." Bob chortled as he raised the ax and swung it down at the table. He rolled away just as the head of the ax embedded itself into the table, and he came up standing next to Bob. Thinking quickly he shoulder-charged Bob knocking him head-first into another table. Knocked off-balance, Bob fell to the floor and led there on his back, dazed by the impact. Seizing his chance he grabbed the axe and sliced the zombie's head off. Even as he looked down at his victim, Dickie ran into the lounge only to stop at the sight of him holding his ax.  
  
"Should've learned by now. If you're gonna play with fire, you gotta expect sooner or later..." Dickie takes off before he can finish delivering his Clint Eastwood line. "Hey I wasn't finished!" Dickie disappeared back out the same door he'd just come through. Signing, Jonathan started after Dickie.  
  
Jonathan chased Dickie around the school corridors only to be confronted by a trio of Jhe demons. Turning, he ran back the way he came followed by Dickie only for the zombie to be grabbed and torn apart by the Demons. Dickie's screams echoing in his ears, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself.. "Okay, boiler room." He turned back toward the door, only to be stopped by one of the heads of the Hellmouth demon exploding through the wall next to him. "Other way!" The head roared after him as he retreated.  
  
After wiping the sweat away from his forehead, Jonathan kicked open the basement door, entered cautiously and made his way down the stairs. At the bottom he opened the door to the boiler room and looked in. His heart stilled as he saw the bomb in the centre of the room, its timer ticking away. After taking a breath he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He gingerly approached the bomb, checking the timer as he set down the ax. "Less than two minutes. Science genius. Little bomb. How hard can it be?"  
  
Suddenly a pair of strong hands grabbed him from behind, throwing into a work bench. The wind driven out of him, he struggled back to his feet only to find himself face-to-face with Jack. "It just got harder."  
  
"I'm not leaving till that thing's disarmed." Jonathan said shakily.  
  
"Then I guess you're not leaving."  
  
Jonathan swallowed before hefting his axe and moving to stand in front of the exit door. "Then neither are you." Jack glanced over at the exit sign above a door. "I know what you're thinkin'. Can I get by him? Get up the stairs, out of the building, seconds ticking away... I don't love your chances."  
  
"Then you'll die, too."  
  
Jonathan shrugged. "Yeah, looks like. Thing is my girl-friend and best- friend are upstairs and I'm not going to let you kill them. So I guess the question really is... who has less fear?"  
  
"I'm not afraid to die. I'm already dead."  
  
Jonathan nodded. "But this is different. Being blown up isn't walking around and drinking with your buddies dead. It's little bits being swept up by a janitor dead, and I don't think you're ready for that."  
  
With three seconds left Jack caved, reached into the bomb, and pulled a wire. The timer went blank and the ticking stopped. Jonathan let out a relieved gasp, until that second he didn't realise he'd been holding his breath. "Good boy." He stepped over to Jack and looked up at the zombie. "I don't think I wanna be seeing you on campus anymore, Jack." He moved over to the door he entered from, gave Jack one last look, opened it and left, closing it behind him. Suddenly he heard the sound of the zombie screaming and a roaring, deciding he didn't want to know he hurried out.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hi Johnny, sorry about last night," his girl-friend looked nervous, "we still five by five?"  
  
He placed his arm around her shoulders. "We're still five by five."  
  
"Wicked," the brunette kissed him lightly on the cheek. "You were real lucky to be out of that mess last night."  
  
Jonathan smiled secretly. "Oh yeah, real lucky."  
  
SPOILER: Next, Finch dies (but by whom?) 


	9. 8A

Three Slayers 8A - Rebellion  
  
Giles stared suspiciously at the youths sat in his library. He wondered which one of them had done it, he guessed it would be either Faith or Xander, they were the two most reckless of the group. "I came in early today to clean up after our battle with the Sisterhood," he grimaced at the memories, "and as I walked past the basement entrance I saw two men carrying out what appeared to be a defused homemade bomb. Do any of you know anything about it?" His gaze took in first Faith, she shook her head, and then Xander who shrugged his shoulders, Buffy and Kendra simply looked blank. Sighing, he turned to the less likely suspects. "Willow?"  
  
Jonathan raised a hand, a tentative look on his face, "me."  
  
Giles stared at Jonathan in disbelief. "Bloody marvellous," he muttered, it appeared the only sensible youth who he thought could be relied on not to raise his blood pressure was as bad as if not worst then the rest. American teens, they were all bloody barking! After taking a second to calm himself he asked the inevitable question. "What happened Mr. Levinson?" He, together with the others, listened to the youth's stumbling recital.  
  
Finally Jonathan finished, for a few seconds there was a stunned silence. "Wicked cool! Saved my life twice in one night, I think that deserves a reward," the brunette Slayer leapt onto her boyfriend's knee, grabbed his head and pulled him into a full-on kiss, her body pressing against his.  
  
After a minute, Giles realised Faith wasn't going to let go of her gasping boyfriend anytime soon. Sighing, he turned to a reddening Buffy and giggling Kendra. "Separate them."  
  
Once the girls had pulled a vociferously protesting Faith off a grateful looking Jonathan, he turned his attention to the unrepentant Slayer. "Faith that is not proper behaviour for a young lady in public," he scolded.  
  
The brunette looked up at him, an amused glint in his eyes. "Young lady, fuck G you're going against seventeen years of breeding."  
  
"Nevertheless I will endeavour to my best," he retorted, his smile hiding his sadness at the teen's apparent lack of self-worth. If he ever met the men who'd hurt her, Ripper would most certainly make an appearance. Turning back to Jonathan he fixed the suddenly sweating youth with his strongest glare. "And why didn't you tell any of us?"  
  
"Uh, you were busy."  
  
"Busy!"  
  
"Jeez G take a chill pill."  
  
Seeing the others pale at his raised tone, he took a breath. "Jonathan, what you did was exceptionally rash," well that was a bloody understatement, "however you also showed a great deal and ingenuity. Well done. Xander, I want you to intensify Jonathan's training as much as possible. As soon as you think he's ready, he can join us on patrol." He glanced at his watch. "It's," the school bell interrupted him, "time for class." He watched in exasperation as the kids left, his head shaking. "Bloody hell, those soddin' kids will be the death of me long before any vampire." Perhaps he should increase his ulcer medication.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wow! Could you believe that Johnny! I knew my guy had a set after that night in the woods, but taking on a gang of zombies!"  
  
"Faith and Jonathan up a tree! Faith and Jonathan up a -" Kendra dissolved into tears of laughter at the glare her younger sister sent her way.  
  
"Ken, here's a tip. With that voice never try and start a band." Faith sighed. "It's so confusing, being with Johnny, I mean sometimes I'll look at him and think what the fuck am I doing with such a nerd. Then he'll just hold my hand or smile or say something sweet, and my heart will feel like it's going to burst."  
  
Kendra opened her mouth to reply, tell her sister that she felt much the same about Xander, except the doubting part, she'd wanted him the first time she'd seen him, only to stop when she saw a figure charging at them holding a pair of swords. "Incoming!"  
  
"I see him!" Kendra cursed as Faith raced forward leaping into a roundhouse kick that the vamp caught on his arm before grabbing and throwing her into a tall gravestone. Faith hit the ground hard but rolled back up immediately.  
  
"Why does she always do that!" Kendra fumed as she ran in to attack the demon before it loped off Faith's head. At the last second the demon heard her approach, spun round and sliced off the tip of her stake. Kendra jumped backwards in alarm "No fair!"  
  
The vampire followed up with a decapitating head-swing that she blocked with her left hand before grabbing his left arm with her right hand, and bringing his arms down hard, forcing the swords to fall out of his hands. Grinning slightly she threw her foot up for a groin shot only for the vampire to sweep her grounded leg away from beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. Before she had chance to rise the vampire was on her, pinning her to the ground with his greater weight and slowing moving his fangs towards her throat.  
  
Suddenly the vampire exploded into dust. Kendra looked up to see a grinning Faith stood above her, offering her her hand. After a second she took it and allowed the other Slayer to pull her up. "Nice diversion sis."  
  
Diversion? Finally Kendra got her breath back. "Faith!" she gasped. "Teamwork remember what Giles taught us!"  
  
Faith shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "I knew you'd be five by five."  
  
"Five by -," Kendra gave up.  
  
Faith looked puzzled. "What was he anyway? All uniform and swords?"  
  
"I don't know, we'll take the swords to Giles see if he recognises the-," Kendra's voice trailed off. "Faith, where are the swords?"  
  
* * *  
  
"Check these out."  
  
The Mayor glanced at the swords lying on his desk. "Well... I haven't seen anything like this in, uh... a good long while. Where's the owner of these fine implements?"  
  
"The common term is 'slain'. But I've been seeing this breed around. Are we expecting any trouble?" Trick replied.  
  
Suddenly Finch broke into the conversation. "What ab-bout these swords? W- what should we do about the swords?"  
  
Wilkins lifted one up for closer inspection, they really were quite marvellous workmanship. "Well, let's just keep an eye out. We've got the dedication coming up in a few days. We certainly can't have anything interfering with that." The Mayor noticed Finch fidgeting. "Do you have a comment to make Allan?"  
  
"Well, maybe we should postpone the... the-the dedication."  
  
The Mayor shot his deputy an incredulous look. Trick shook his head. "I believe the honourable Mayor *hates* that idea."  
  
Wilkins stood up. "The dedication... is the final step before my Ascension. I have waited longer than you can imagine for this. After the Hundred Days, I'll be on a higher plane. And I'll have no more need for... Well, let's just say I won't be concerned... with the little things. " He turned to the vampire. " Mr. Trick, watch these people. Anything you find out about them, well, let's just see that that information reaches the Slayers," he took the short sword from Trick, and looked it over. "Who knows? With any luck, they'll kill each other. Then everyone's a winner. Everyone, of course, meaning me." He laughed after a second his companions followed suit.  
  
* * *  
  
Giles stared in disgust at the prat going through a box of books on the table. "Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work."  
  
"Really?" it was an effort not to take his chair and use it to stove the pillock's brains in. This was the bloody idiot the Council had sent to replace him? Unbelievable.  
  
"Oh yes," the young man began rummaging through another box. "Not all books and theory nowadays. I have, in fact, faced two vampires myself. Under controlled circumstances, of course."  
  
All right, that was it. He was going to kick the annoying little wanker's ass across the library, appearances be dammed. Even as he pushed his chair back, the library door swung open. He sat back down. "Hello Kendra."  
  
"Ah Kendra," the young man smiled condescendingly. "Well... Hello."  
  
Kendra gave the newcomer a quick look up and down before turning to him. " New Watcher?"  
  
"New Watcher," he nodded.  
  
The man took a step towards Kendra, holding out a hand in greeting. "Wesley Wnydham-Pryce." Kendra just stared at him. "It's very nice to meet you."  
  
"Okay," she turned towards him, never removing her eyes from Wesley. "Is he evil?"  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
Kendra continued to stare at him. "The last one was evil."  
  
"Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post." Wesley tutted. "We all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well. A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer. "  
  
Kendra's eyes widened in disbelief. "That was never in the Handbook."  
  
"Yes," Wesley pulled out a pen, "and what happened on last night's patrol?"  
  
"Vampires."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Slain."  
  
"Anything else you can tell me?" Kendra glanced at him. After a second he nodded. The Slayer sighed. "One of them had two swords."  
  
"Swords?" Wesley put down his diary down and began rummaging through his boxes of books. "Swords... Ah here it is!" The Watcher pulled out a book. "One long, one short?"  
  
Kendra nodded. With points and jewels."  
  
"Sounds familiar," he commented.  
  
"It should," Wesley thrust a book in front of him, after a second he took it and began reading. "El Eliminati. Fifteenth Century..."  
  
"Fifteenth Century duellist cult," Wesley interrupted, "deadly in their day. Their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to an increase in anti- vampire activity and a lot of pointless duelling. They eventually became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here."  
  
Giles passed the book back to Wesley, maybe he wasn't completely useless. Maybe. "You seem to know a lot about them."  
  
"I didn't get this job because of my looks. "  
  
"I believe him."  
  
Wesley glared at Kendra. "I've researched this town's history extensively."  
  
Giles decided to draw the conversation back to business before Wesley and Kendra began pulling one another's hair. "So why have we not seen them before this?"  
  
"They were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."  
  
"And they are back because?"  
  
"Um," Wesley broke in, "Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner named... Gleaves. It was buried with him, and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value."  
  
"A-and you don't think that this, uh, amulet poses any threat?" Giles pressed. Sentimental value? Who'd ever heard the vampires with sentiment?  
  
"Oh, no, not at all. Nonetheless, we may as well keep it from them. Kendra, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." "Yes mien furher!"  
  
Giles bit back a chuckle. "Are you not used to being given orders?" Wesley demanded.  
  
"Whenever Giles sends us on a mission, he always says 'please'," Kendra fluttered her eyelashes, "and afterwards I get a 'well done' and a gold star." This time a strangled chuckle escaped, oh yes Faith was definitely a bad influence.  
  
"I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot," Wesley said stuffily. Giles knew precisely where he'd like to place his foot.  
  
Just then the door swung open and Faith strode in. "Ah." Wesley stepped forward. "This is perhaps Faith."  
  
Faith stopped and critically looked Wesley up and down. "New Watcher?"  
  
Kendra and Giles spoke in unison. "New Watcher."  
  
Faith shook her head. "No fucking way!" suddenly the brunette was in Wesley face, her finger jabbing furiously in the man's chest. "You gonna give me a place to live, my first real home? Be like a pa to me and Ken," Giles realised the teen's voice was trembling, hoarse, "you," the brunette stepped back, a look of disdain on her beautiful face. "You're not fit to lace G's boots!" The Slayer turned and stormed off.  
  
Giles sighed. Faith's loyalty was touching but hardly practical under the circumstances. "Kendra," he said softly, "go after her."  
  
* * *  
  
"Faith! Wait!" Kendra grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her round to face her. "Calm down!"  
  
"Calm down!" She'd never seen her friend so angry. "They think they can take us away from G for fuck's sake!"  
  
"Faith I'm not too happy out this either but we have to work with them -."  
  
Kendra's attempt at reasoning was interrupted by her friend. "Why should we?" Faith demanded hotly. "We're the ones with the power. Me and you! Hell, B too! Let the Council come what they going to do anyway?"  
  
"They could kill us," Faith paled at her reply, seeing her friend's mouth begin to open, she hurried on. "I've read the diaries, heard what they do to rebellious Slayers. They could kill us, deport Giles," Faith's eyes widened, "or even come after Jonathan or Xander." "If they hurt them I'd -."  
  
"We pretend to work with Wesley but take our orders from Giles. We don't do any anything unless Giles okays it."  
  
After a second Faith nodded. "Five by five, so what do we do next?"  
  
* * *  
  
"How many vamps in there?" Faith whispered.  
  
"Maybe ten," Buffy replied tightly.  
  
"Where's Fang tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Him and Xander are covering the patrolling while we handle this," Buffy replied in a whisper.  
  
Faith exchanged an amused look with Kendra. God, those two on their own - that had to be the patrol from hell. "Let's get this done."  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh yeah B," Faith glanced around the shadowy crypt glaring at the vampires surrounding them, "there's definitely ten vampires."  
  
"I hate it when she's right," Kendra commented.  
  
"But on the plus side it's so rare," Faith shot back.  
  
"You two should be a double-act," Buffy shot back.  
  
"Just as long as we don't have to sing," Faith replied, "Ken's voice, ugh." Suddenly she erupted into action, backhanding a vampire towards Kendra who quickly staked it. Moving on she ducked under another vampire's swing before roundhouse kicking him to the back of his knee, making him collapse to the ground before thrusting her own stake through the demon's back. Another vampire leapt at her but she grabbed him in mid-air and flung him into the wall, the vampire spun round to attack her but she caught him with a half-spinning hook kick knocking him onto a raised area, off-balance the vampire was helpless to prevent her staking. Another vampire leapt at her knocking her to the ground, but before the vampire could complete his attack he exploded into dust. Faith grinned up at Ken. "Diversion right?"  
  
Ken's grin faded. "Buffy!"  
  
Faith looked up and cursed. The blonde Slayer was surrounded by a trio of dust piles, but was being held facedown into a pool of water. She reached for her stake but Kendra was there first, leaping the length of the cavern to shove her weapon through the back of the vampire. The vampire let out a scream, half-turned, before exploding into dust. A second later the blonde exploded spluttering out of the water, her hand tightly grasping the amulet they'd come for. "Got it!"  
  
Faith grinned at Buffy, for the first time feeling a spark of companionship with the blonde. "Well that didn't suck."  
  
* * *  
  
"Here's the amulet!"  
  
"Ah splendid!" Wesley snatched it out of Faith's hand and began inspecting it under a magnifying glass. Faith looked at her suddenly empty hand in disbelief and then the prick who'd just snatched it from her, snarling she started forward only for Buffy and Kendra grab her inches away from the oblivious Watcher. "Well... Looks authentic enough. Of course, there are tests to be made before actual verification."  
  
Buffy spoke up her tone cold. "How about verifying that your 'nearly extinct' cult was out in numbers last night? We got into a serious situation."  
  
"Are you alright?" asked Giles  
  
"Five by five G," Faith shot an angry look at Wesley.  
  
"Perhaps there were a few more than we'd anticipated," Wesley looked up from his inspection of the amulet to look at each of them in turn, " but I'd expect you to be ready for anything. Remember the three key words for any Slayer: preparation... preparation... preparation."  
  
"And what's the three key words for Wesley - pompous, pansy, prick?" Faith asked acidly.  
  
* * *  
  
The Mayor stared fondly at the troop of Boy Scouts stood beside him in his office, it made his heart fill with pride, gave him hope for the future of the town - if he wasn't planning to destroy it. The press photographer snapped the picture. Wilkins beamed. "There we go." After a moment the Scouts began to file out of the office. "Hey, have fun on that camping trip, now. Don't forget to roast a wiener for me."  
  
He watched as Allan shooed the last of the Scouts out and closed the door securely. The Mayor chuckled as he closed the room's blinds before calling out. "Here we go. Alright, you can come out now." The door to his private bathroom opened, and Mr. Trick walked back into the office. He nodded at the vampire, his genial mask crumpling away as he became all business. "So, any news about the Eliminati?" Ask he spoke he made his way over to his liquor cabinet. Upon opening a vampire jumped out, grabbed him by the neck, pushed him down over his desk and held up his sword to attack. "In the name of Lord Balthazar, DIE!"  
  
Before the vampire could do anything else, Mr. Trick came to his rescue, punching his attacker in the forehead. His assailant fell backwards onto the floor, unconscious. Wilkins coughed as he sat up on the edge of the desk and straightened his tie. "Thank you Mr. Trick. That was very thoughtful of you."  
  
"Swords?" Trick shook his head. "Jeez, this is nearly the twenty-first century and this chump uses a sword."  
  
"Quite," he stared suspiciously at a suddenly fidgeting Allan. "You know, it's curious how he could've gotten all the way into my liquor cabinet. Allan, don't we have security working in this building?"  
  
"Sir, I... I had no idea. I-I..." his deputy began to stutter.  
  
"No harm done," he glanced down at the crumpled vampire, "lock him up."  
  
Trick shook his head. " He wakes up, he's just gonna try and kill you again."  
  
"Yes. Yes, I expect he will."  
  
* * *  
  
"So I'm looking at Johnny -," Faith's story was interrupted by the ringing of her mobile. "Oh fuck. Just a minute guys," she smiled apologetically at Kendra and Xander as she answered the phone. Her smile faded at the call, her hand shaking she dropped the phone back into her pocket. "That was B and Fang. G and Wussley have been grabbed by Eliminati. Word on the street puts Balthazar in the packing warehouse on Devereau. He's snatched them in exchange for the amulet.."  
  
"Who has it?"  
  
"B took it off Wuss and gave it to Fang," she replied dazedly to Xander's terse question. Nothing could happen to G.  
  
"Faith!" she was shaken out of her funk by Kendra. "What do we do?"  
  
"B says we meet them by the warehouse," she replied. Finally she straightened, her eyes flashing. She'd failed one Watcher, she wouldn't fail another. "Let's go," she glanced to Xander, "hope you ain't eaten too many Twinkies Xand, we're going to be motoring,"  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra sidestepped a charging vampire, shoving him into the alley wall behind her before snapping out a side-kick to the knee knocking the vampire to the ground. Instantly the vampire bounded to his feet and leapt at her, but she smoothly sidestepped his attack slamming a foot into the vampire's stomach, doubling it up before staking it. From behind her she heard Faith yell. "I think we've got more comin'!"  
  
Kendra shot her friend a worried look. "We're never gonna make it to the warehouse."  
  
"We have to!" Suddenly another Eliminati landed in front of them thrusting at Faith with his short sword. Faith reacted instantly, catching her attacker's arm and shoving him into a crate, then pulling him off and swinging him backward onto a pile of several chords of wood. Instantly she stepped right in and staked him. He crumbled to ash.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Faith grab hold of a vampire and fling him towards her. Instantly she grabbed the vampire and threw him against a dumpster before jumping in to stake him. The vampire slumped down to the ground, stunned by the impact against the heavy steel container. "KENDRA, NO!"  
  
Her stake plunged into the vampire's heart. Kendra's head furrowed in confusion as instead of exploding into dust the vampire grabbed his chest and blood began pumping out of the wound. Her blood chilled, oh god, it was a human. 


	10. 8b

Three Slayers 8B - Consequences  
  
Xander stared first at his girl-friend and then at a pale-faced Faith. After a second he shook aside his shock and hurried over to the convulsing man. He knelt down beside the man and watched as he pulled his blood- soaked hands away, Xander hid a grimace at the severity of the wound - from his experience, and that of the army veteran within him, the man had only minutes to live. "Don't move," he instructed softly.  
  
"I didn't... I didn't know. I didn't know," Kendra began to cry, he glanced over his shoulder. At his look, Faith hurried over to his girlfriend and began to comfort her, holding her as she sobbed.  
  
The man's convulsions intensified. His eyes widened as blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth. He tried to say something, but can't get the words out. Xander could only watch in despair, unable to help. The man looked down at his chest one last time, then reached up to Xander, but his arm never made it, falling to his side as his body relaxed against the dumpster, finally dead. His eyes remained wide open, staring up into nothing. Xander stared back at him in open-mouthed horror.  
  
After a second he stood, his legs shaky. "Xand," he looked at a shaking Faith, clutching onto a still crying Kendra. "What do we do?"  
  
"I..I don't know."  
  
After a second Faith nodded her head. "I do," her voice still steadied. "Xand, you take Kendra home. I'll go and help G."  
  
Xander nodded. "Okay Kendra," he whispered, "let's get you home."  
  
His girl-friend's glassy eyes cleared a little. "No, no," she shook her head, "Giles needs -."  
  
"Ken," Faith's voice was soft but firm, "you're in shock. If you go in there you'll be off your game. Might get hurt or cause one of us get hurt."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Good girl," Xander lifted Kendra into his arms, cradling her sobbing face against his chest. "Let's get you home baby." He nodded towards Faith. "Stay safe." He stepped away then turned back. "When you tell Giles, make sure Wes isn't about."  
  
"Five by five."  
  
* * *  
  
"Fuck." Faith stared at the body crumpled on the ground. Her heart had only now started to slow back to its normal rhythm. Kendra had just killed someone. If she'd moved faster maybe..  
  
After a second she shook her head, maybe wouldn't bring the poor bastard back. If it wasn't for the guys she'd grab Kendra and run, but they couldn't leave Jonathan and Xander behind, and she could trust G to know what to do, to protect them. 'Course she couldn't say anything in front of the Wuss, she couldn't trust him, if she had a Watcher who treated her like a tool like that prick, she didn't know what she'd do, probably grab Ken and run. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed. "What's that?" After a nervous lick of the lips she stalked over to the body and, resisting the urge to shudder, she reached into the dead man's jacket pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. Her eyes widened at the paper's contents. "What the fuck?" Shaking her head she shoved the piece of paper into her jeans pocket, G would know what to do. "Oh shit!" she'd forgotten about him, turning she hurried to the warehouse.  
  
"Faith! Where have you been? Giles is in there, don't you care?"  
  
Faith's already frayed nerves snapped at the sneer she heard in Buffy's tone. Springing forward she grabbed the blonde around the front of her shirt and threw her into the wall. "I care, I fucking care alright," she hissed angrily, "you know B, yesterday I thought I might have been wrong about you, that you were five by five but I was right all along. I care a hell of a lot about G, I didn't let my lover-boy kill his girlfriend!"  
  
"You bitch!"  
  
Buffy's open handed slap rang out across the alleyway as it collided with her face. Eyes flaming she started forward only for Angel to get in her way. "Faith," the vampire hissed, "priorities! Giles, remember?"  
  
For a second she glared at the vampire before nodding. "Five by five," she muttered. "Just keep her on her leash."  
  
The blonde started forward at her comment only to stop at a look from Angel. "Where's Kendra?"  
  
"Got hurt. Xander had to carry her home."  
  
"Badly?" There was concern on the vampire's face.  
  
"Not life-threatening," she evaded. Anxious to avoid raising the vampire's suspicions she looked towards the building. "What's the plan?"  
  
* * *  
  
Giles stared with disgust at Balthazar. The demon was enormously obese with very pale, pasty, slimy skin and layers of fat rolling off him. He sat suspended in a tank of filthy water, while one of the Eliminati poured ladle after ladle of it over him in an effort to keep his skin moist.  
  
Giles glanced at his shaking companion and sighed. He and Wesley had been busy bickering in the library about the buffoon's treatment of the Slayers when the Eliminati had kidnapped them. On balance he thought he'd rather be held hostage with Snyder than this weasel.  
  
"The front! Moisten the front!" Giles shuddered as a ladle full of water was poured across the whining demon's chest. Not even watching Xander eat was as hideous as this.  
  
"Oh God!" Suddenly Wesley began whispering. "Oh, God!"  
  
"It doesn't seem too promising, does it?"  
  
"Stay calm, Mr. Giles. We have to stay calm."  
  
"Well, thank God you're here. If I didn't have you to hold my hand I'd be a quivering wreck," he shot back dryly.  
  
"What is that thing?" his counterpart whispered.  
  
"That would be your demon," Giles raised an eyebrow. "Looks awfully lively for a century dead demon doesn't he?"  
  
"There's no need to get snippy."  
  
Snippy? Once again he had to fight the urge to hit the bloody plonker. Balthazar finally turned his attention towards them. "Bring them closer."  
  
"Dear god," Giles muttered, "looks like we're starters." He bit back a malicious smile at the stricken look on his fellow Watcher's face, might as well go down having fun. Two of the Eliminati grabbed them and shoved them closer.  
  
"You know what I want," the demon wheezed.  
  
"If it's for me to scrub those hard-to-reach areas, I'd like to request you kill me now." Giles fell to his knees as one of the vampires punched him in the back for his insolence. "Of course I'm more than willing to contribute to your gym membership fund."  
  
"Mr. Giles, are you out of your mind?" Wesley babbled. "This is hardly the time for games!"  
  
"Oh do shut up, you wimp," he snarled. "They're going to torture us to death anyway." Balthazar snickered. "You're not wrong about that."  
  
Wesley paled even further. "Now, there's no need to be so hasty. We-we-we can deal with this rationally. We have something you want. You have something we want."  
  
Balthazar smiled. "Hmm... A trade. Intriguing. No. Wait. Boring. Pull off his kneecaps!"  
  
Two of the vampires grabbed Wesley. "NOOO! No, no, no! The Slayer g-gave it to someone. A tall man, a friend... a friend of hers. I can tell you everything."  
  
Giles shook his head before muttering. "Quiet, you twerp! They'll kill us both anyway."  
  
"But I'd like to have my kneecaps."  
  
"You will tell us everything!" Balthazar demanded. "What is this friend's name?"  
  
"Ah," Wesley hesitated, "I didn't actually catch it."  
  
Giles rolled his eyes, he'd have to play for time. "Look, um, tell you what, let Brigadier Brave here go, and I'll tell you what you need to know. How's that for a deal?"  
  
"THERE IS ONE DEAL! YOU WILL DIE QUICKLY, OR YOU WILL DIE SLOWLY! THE MAN WHO HAS MY AMULET! WHAT IS HIS NAAAME?!"  
  
Giles winced at the vampire's tirade. "That's a no then?"  
  
"His name could be Bo Peep," Giles groaned at Angel's voice, saved by the vampire, soddin' marvellous, the perfect end to a perfect day, "but it's not, it's Angel."  
  
Angel charged towards him and Wesley, pulling the two vampires guarding them away and slamming one of them into a wall, the other into some metal shelves. Another one moved to intercept Angel, but Giles headbutted him, knocking him to the ground.  
  
Suddenly the skylight above them shattered, and Buffy and Faith dropped down onto the warehouse floor. Giles' brow furrowed, but no Kendra? Giles' heart rose into his throat. She hadn't been hurt had she?  
  
Faith raced towards him only for a vampire to charge her. The brunette blocked his attack and grabbed his arm. bringing it down before slamming a knee into his gut, making him drop his sword. Seeing Faith catch the blade, he turned his tied hands toward her allowing her to swing the sword down through the ropes, slicing them cleanly. The pieces fell to the floor as he grabbed Wesley and pushed him out of harm's way.  
  
Out of the way of the fight, Giles quickly untied Wesley's hands. Hearing a vampire roar behind him, Giles looked behind in time to see and duck the attack. The sword caught on a shelf, and Giles grabbed the blade and back elbowed the vamp in the face, taking the sword from him. Swinging around Giles jammed the hilt of the sword into his rival's face as well, before spinning around to take on another one.  
  
The vampire swung at him, forcing to parry it with his own. The vampire swung again, and again he blocked it. The demon swung down from above, but again Giles managed a block before forcing the vampire's sword to the floor, making his rival bend down to keep hold, and kneed him in the face. The vampire crumpled to the floor, his sword falling from his hands.  
  
"Giles!"  
  
Turning Giles saw Wesley had been grabbed by the other vampire from behind. "Bloody ponce." Raising his sword he swung it. "DOWN!" Wesley bent over fast, and the blade caught the vampire on the neck slicing through it.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Giles saw Balthazar hold out his arms. The air between the demon and Angel began to shimmer, and Angel was lifted into the air and carried to the edge of the pool. Balthazar reached out, seizing the vampire's head in both hands. Angel struggled to get away but to no avail. Suddenly Faith threw her blade into the air, slicing through an electrical cable hanging over the pool, the cable fell from the roof and into the pool. Balthazar let out a shriek of agony before releasing Angel and writhing in agony as he was electrocuted.  
  
Instantly Buffy rushed over to help Angel who appeared shaken but otherwise fine. Even as the blonde checked Angel over Balthazar's eyes whipped open. "You think you've won. When he rises... you'll wish I'd killed you all." Buffy raised her sword but the demon slumped forward, his eyes closing in defeat.  
  
Giles let out a breath. "Well that was fun."  
  
"You five by five G?"  
  
Giles turned towards the brunette, his reassuring smile dying when he took in her pale face and wide eyes, there was something badly wrong. "I'm fine Faith, thanks to you and the others," he glanced around. "Where's Kendra?"  
  
"She dived under a vamp's sword swing on the way here. Tore her knee out, she couldn't walk. X-Man's taken her home."  
  
"Very sensible." The girl was lying about something but he could wait until they got back home.  
  
* * *  
  
Mayor Wilkins glanced around his office as he knelt in an inverted pentagram with his hands out to his sides. Where was Allan? That assistant of his was proving most unreliable, these days. Perhaps he needed replacing, he tutted to himself, replacing employees as senior as Allan was always a messy business, especially getting the blood out of the carpet. Gathering his thoughts he began reciting his spell.  
  
Within seconds the building began to shake. Despite the building's rocking he stayed still, concentrating on the spell. In a couple of minutes he'd finished and the building settled to an uneasy rest.  
  
"Did it work?" Trick asked.  
  
"Let's find out." Taking a second to calm himself, he turned to the cage holding the vampire who'd attacked him earlier. "Let him out."  
  
Trick's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"  
  
He nodded. "Oh! Hold on." Taking the vampire's sword he threw it through the cage to the assassin before taking several steps back. "Give it the good old college try," he beamed encouragingly at the bemused, caged vampire. "If you'll do the honours Mr. Trick."  
  
Trick shrugged. "Sure boss."  
  
His associate stepped around to the front of the cage, unlocked the padlock and removed the chains as he watched and waited. As soon as Trick opened the door, the caged vampire rushed out towards him, his sword held over his head. The vampire brought the sword down on his head, splitting it in two. To his surprise he felt no pain. "That tickles." A shocked expression on his face, the vampire pulled back his sword as his head knitted back together. "Well that was an experience." He smiled as Mr. Trick stepped up behind the vampire as thrust a stake into the vampire's back causing him to explode into ashes. Most efficient.  
  
Wilkins beamed, the spell had worked. "Well! This officially commences the Hundred Days. Nothing can harm me until the Ascension. Gosh, I'm feeling chipper! Who's for a root beer?!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh bloody hell." Giles stared aghast from Slayer to Slayer. Faith had just finished a babbling and tearful recounting of tonight's events. Faith and Xander were glassy-eyed but coherent, but Kendra seemed to be in a trance. Probably a combination of shock and Samuel Zabuto's programming.  
  
"What are we going to do G?"  
  
Waving Faith to silence he crouched in front of Kendra. "Kendra," the girl continued to stare obliviously, "Kendra," he raised his voice slightly but it was enough for some intelligence to return to the girl's eyes.  
  
"I murdered someone," the pain and misery in the girl's voice was heart- breaking.  
  
"No you didn't Kendra," Giles comforted, "what happened today was an accident. And far from the first Slayer to accidentally kill someone."  
  
"Really?" he glanced towards Xander. "And what does the Council do?"  
  
Ah, he had hoped that question wouldn't be asked. "The Council re-educates the Slayer involved before allowing her -."  
  
"No fucking way!" a fiery light entered Faith's eyes. "I'm not -."  
  
"Do you think I'd let them take her!" he demanded, his fury silencing the brunette, his voice calmed. "We'll keep the Council out of this and deal with it between us, but now," he turned to Xander, "Xander could take Kendra up to her room please?"  
  
After a second Xander nodded, rose, and gently lifted Kendra into his arms, carrying her out of the room. "G, will everything be alright?"  
  
Forcing a smile he pulled the girl into a hug. "Listen Faith," he soothed, "I'm not going to let anybody hurt you or Kendra I promise. Okay?"  
  
Suddenly the brunette burst into tears. "G," the girl's voice was filled with pain, "if I hadn't thrown him to Ken, Ken would never -."  
  
"Hush," he began to rock the child from side to side, "what happened today was nothing more than a tragic accident. What that man was doing running towards two Slayers I have no idea."  
  
"Oh," the brunette nodded and pulled, her forehead furrowed in thought, she reached into her pocket. "G, Finch had this in his jacket pocket. I think he was looking for us."  
  
"Oh bloody hell." Giles cursed as he read the contents of the note. Things had suddenly got a lot worse.  
  
* * * Wesley threw aside the headphones he'd been using to listen to the bugs the Council had placed in Giles' house when they'd learnt two of the Slayers were living with their Watcher. He reached a shaking hand to pick up his cup of tea, his mind awhirl with conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, the Slayers had saved his life earlier in the day, on the other, the third Slayer had killed a human, the greatest crime a Slayer could commit. Wesley sighed, he owed his first loyalty to the Council. Grabbing the phone he started dialling. "Hello, this is Field Watcher Wesley Wnydham- Pryce, could you put me through to Mr Travers please? I don't care if he's in a meeting this is a matter of the greatest urgency."  
  
SPOILER: Redemption, Retribution, & Reconcillation. (Mama always said I should do the three Rs - although she always said life was like a box of chocolate, so you know). 


	11. 9

A/N: I've used a racist term in this chapter. It's not my own personal opinion, more in keeping with the general character of the person who uses it. Sorry. Oh and Buffy's rehabilitation begins.  
  
Three Slayers 9 - Fallout  
  
Wesley shuffled from foot to foot as he watched the quartet of men climb down from the private plane that had just landed. Ever since he'd made the phone call to England he'd been plagued by self-doubt and second thoughts. Seeing the four square-jawed thugs making their way across the small airfield towards him only increased his trepidation. He'd acted hastily.  
  
Forcing a firm expression on his face, he hurried to meet the men. "Hello, I'm Wesley Wnydham-Pryce."  
  
The group's leader, a tall, broad-shouldered man with cold grey eyes and a craggy face nodded at him, holding out a meaty hand. After a second's hesitation, he took it, wincing at the power of the man's grip. "Mr Travers sends his regards. I'm Smithers," the man spoke in a broad Dorset accent.  
  
Wesley's eyes widened as he noticed some of the equipment being carried by the men. "Guns! We can't use guns! This is no longer the bloody Wild West!"  
  
"We're dealing with a Slayer not a schoolgirl," Smithers grinned at his mates, "shame really. Been a while since we got our hands on a schoolgirl."  
  
Wesley forced aside his distaste at the round of unpleasant laughs that followed Smithers' remark. "B..but, they'll be innocents involved. Mr Giles and Faith for two, and -."  
  
"Yeah we saw that Faith's photo, a real nice piece of skirt," one of the men leered.  
  
Smithers silenced the man with a look. "Pryce," all jocularity left Smithers' voice leaving only coldness, "we're here to retrieve this bird who has broken one of the most sacred rules in Council law. Rupert Giles is not only attempting to hide her crime from the Council he's harbouring her too. Mr. Travers is of the opinion that Mr. Giles' insolence has been tolerated for far too long. An example has to be made of her, if Giles gets hurt in the fallout," Smithers shrugged before pushing past him, "so what?"  
  
"Oh bloody hell," Wesley hurried after the men. He had definitely made a mistake. He just hoped nobody was too hurt by it. Especially himself.  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh dear!"  
  
Buffy hurried into the lounge, alarmed by her mother's shocked cry. "What's up mom?" Joyce wiped at her eyes for a second before replying. "The Deputy Mayor has been murdered," Joyce put her tissue away, "the poor man. I met him once at a fundraiser, he was such a gentleman."  
  
"Oh," Buffy couldn't help but be relieved that her mother was okay. She pouted as a sudden suspicion hit her, "this fundraiser, it wasn't for MOO was it?" She paled at her mother's glare. "Never mind." She was saved from a rebuke by the ringing of the phone. "I'll get that," she said.  
  
Rushing into the kitchen, she grabbed the phone. "Hello Summers residence?" she smiled at the familiar voice at the other end of the phone - it was a long time since he'd rung her at home. Her brow furrowed as she realised how lifeless the caller sounded. "You want to meet me at Angel's, but why?"  
  
* * *  
  
"G-Man, I don't think this is a good idea."  
  
"Xander," Giles forced himself to remain patient. Xander's refusal to leave Kendra's side was understandable, admirable even, but unfortunately impractical. "Buffy has to be told."  
  
"G," this time it was Faith raising objections, "we can't trust her-."  
  
"That's quite enough Faith," he growled, "whether you like it or not Buffy is part of our group," Faith fell into a sulky silence, Giles softened his tone. "Faith, lying to Buffy isn't an option. She's a Slayer, she'll know we're lying about Kendra being injured, that a Slayer would be back patrolling in a few days from a torn knee." After a second the brunette nodded silently.  
  
"Why does Deadboy have to come?"  
  
"Because," Giles replied to Xander's angrily asked question, "as much as we dislike him he is a calming influence on Buffy."  
  
"Fine," Xander took a breath, "after I've been up to see Kendra I'll ring Buffy and ask her to meet me at the vampire's."  
  
Giles reached across and squeezed Xander's shoulder. "Xander, she'll be fine." He smiled at Faith. "We won't let anything happen to her will we Faith?"  
  
"Damn straight G!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Do you know why Xander asked you to come here?" When Buffy shook her head Angel sighed. He found himself in a perplexing situation, Xander and he had never been friends and the gap had only widened since his return from hell. And yet Xander had now specifically requested his presence at his home, the very building that Giles had forcibly refused him entry to.  
  
Not that he blamed the youth, unlike Buffy he had the detachment to understand the pain he'd caused the others and the antipathy his actions inspired. He even had a grudging respect for the way the teen had faced Angelus down. For that if for no other reason he'd sacrifice himself for Xander without a second thought.  
  
Unless, a worrying thought occurred, the youth had been possessed by some demon that could walk about during the day and was leading them into a trap. He relaxed when the youth in question walked through the front door, he couldn't sense any demonic presence. His eyes narrowed as he noticed puffiness around the boy's eyes as if he had been crying, and the aura of desolation surrounding him. He exchanged a worried look with Buffy. "Xander what's wrong?" he asked gently.  
  
The teen's answering smile lacked its usual warmth. "Got your blanket Angel?" Angel's brow furrowed even as he nodded, he couldn't remember the youth ever referring to him by his chosen name, something was definitely wrong. "Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
Giles looked worriedly at the rocking Slayer sat curled up on the lounge sofa, the arms of Faith around her, holding her in a hug. When Xander had left to pick up Buffy and Angel, wouldn't that be a fun conversation, he'd decided that Kendra couldn't be left alone so he'd sent Faith upstairs to bring her down. In the half hour since Xander had left she hadn't spoken or taken a bite out of the breakfast he'd made for her or drunk any of the tea he'd brewed.  
  
Faith released her grip on Kendra and stood. "Faith, what's wrong?"  
  
"There's someone outside," Faith replied, a worried expression on her face.  
  
"It's probably Xander."  
  
"Too soo-."  
  
Suddenly the front room window exploded and a gas canister flew through to land on the carpet, Giles' eyes widened in shock. "What the bloody -," his voice exploded into splutters as his vision blurred and, his limbs suddenly weak and his head woozy, he fell on his knees. He looked up to see some gas-masked men wielding rifles stood by the windowsill. "Basta-," he began before oblivion claimed him.  
  
* * * "G!" Letting out a roar of animal fury, Faith started forward, her limbs not moving as easily as they would normally thanks to the gas' effects on even a Slayer's system. She let out an out-raged squawk as a dart hit her in the chest. She growled ferally and tried to continue on her way only for her legs to fail her, sending her crashing to the carpet and into unconsciousness.  
* * *  
  
"Well that worked well," Smithers beamed as he climbed through the window, his gas-mask still through. The wog Slayer hadn't moved but one of his men had shot a tranquiliser dart into her too. Smithers shook his head, a knockout canister and an elephant tranquiliser dart to take out a girl weighing around a hundred pounds. Unbloody believable. "Jones, get her, throw her in the back of the van and chain her up."  
  
"What about the other slapper, we could take her for a little in-flight entertainment?"  
  
Smithers looked across at the other two men crouched over the other Slayer - Faye, Freda - what was her name? He opened his mouth to agree, after all she was a real looker, Slayers were nothing but cannon fodder, they had the drugs to keep her pliant, and after they'd had their fun they could throw her out over the ocean, not even a Slayer could survive that. Hell, Travers would be grateful, they'd get a more pliable Slayer in her place. "No you will bloody not!" he turned with a groan at the Watcher's voice, "she's not your concern, the target's been acquired now let's get her to the airfield and go before they recover or are discovered."  
  
Smithers toyed with the idea of killing the nervously watching Watcher then nodded. "Fine, Regis, Johnson. Let's go." Killing a Slayer was one thing, a Watcher something entirely different.  
  
* * *  
  
"Xander, are you going to tell us what's happening?" Buffy stared worriedly at her friend, she'd seen that sort of out-of-it look on the faces of people she'd saved from vampires or demons.  
  
"Giles will explain," Xander replied shortly.  
  
Buffy sat back and sighed in frustration. She glanced over her shoulder to the figure huddled under a blanket. "Are you alright -, Xander!" she screamed as the car swerved violently. She snapped round to glare at Xander. "What was that about?"  
  
"Didn't you see that damn lorry? It was on the wrong side of the road!"  
  
"Maybe it was!" she snapped, "but if you weren't driving so recklessly!"  
  
She heard Angel snort. "You can talk."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.  
  
Angel was saved from answering by Xander's frightened shout. "Shit!"  
  
Once again her head snapped forward to see Giles' lounge window was shattered and gas billowing out of it. "What's happening?"  
  
Xander didn't reply choosing instead to screech his car to a halt and leap out without opening the door. "Angel, you're invited!" her friend yelled as he climbed through the front window.  
  
"Buffy, what's happening?" Angel asked from under his blanket.  
  
"I don't know," she replied as she helped the vampire out of the car. "Somebody's attacked Giles' house."  
  
"What!" Angel's fingers smouldered as he lifted up his blanket and stared with concern at the house. "Let's get inside."  
  
"Why didn't I think of that," she muttered sarcastically as she raced in after her boyfriend. Her heart missed a beat at the sight of Faith curled up on the carpet vomiting and Giles But..  
  
"Where's Kendra?" Xander asked the question in her mind, a terrified look on his face.  
  
"I'm guessing the Council have found about Kendra's involvement in Finch's death and took her, I assume for trial," Giles gasped between wheezes.  
  
Buffy was rocked by Giles' revelation. "She murdered someone?"  
  
"It was," Faith threw up again, "a fucking accident! She thought he was a vampire!"  
  
"Buffy," she looked at her grey-faced Watcher, "go with Xander and get her back. And," Giles' eyes flashed with rage, reminding her of the times Ripper had come out to play, "bring Mr. Wnydham-Pryce back with you."  
  
"B..but if she killed someone," Buffy babbled, her mind still struggling to come to terms with Giles' shocking revelation, "shouldn't be punished?"  
  
"G, I'll go with Xand," Faith said shakily, she struggled to her feet only for her legs to crumple beneath her, sending her crumpling back to the ground.  
  
"Buffy can I speak to you in the hallway?" After a second Buffy glanced at her boyfriend and nodded.  
  
* * * "Buffy," Angel hissed, his face expressionless but his tone angry, "what are you playing at? You have to go, you owe it to Xander!"  
  
"I owe what to Xander?"  
  
"Remember the night Angelus hospitalised you?" Buffy nodded. "The next night Angelus came to the hospital to turn you. The only problem was," a note of respect entered her boyfriend's voice, "Xander was waiting for me. Without a stake and cross but he was willing to give his life to protect you. Angelus was scared that Xander's death would cause you to lose your reservations about killing him so he backed down and left."  
  
"But Kendra killed someone," Buffy muttered as her mind reeled at the thought of what Xander had done for. So loyal and brave, and she'd just discarded him.  
  
"And what do you think Angelus did after you allowed him to live after that confrontation with the Judge? Take up flower-arranging? Twenty-eight people I killed after that day," she shuddered at the number, "twenty-eight people whose lives you could saved by ending mine."  
  
Buffy felt as if she'd punched in the stomach. "B..but," she shook her head, any justification she could make for her actions didn't hold up for inspection. And this discussion could wait, she had more important priorities. Turning, she hurried back into the front room. "Xander," her friend continued to stare into space. "Xander, Kendra needs us." Nothing. Steeling herself, Buffy stepped forward and slapped Xander across the face knocking his head. Instantly life flickered into the youth's eyes, the rage she saw there causing her to step back. "Xander," she forced her voice to steady, "get your keys we need to go after them."  
  
"Xander," Giles wheezed, "it's up to you and Buffy to stop them."  
  
Suddenly Xander moved. "Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
"How do you know that they'll be going to Avers' Airdrome rather than Sunnydale Airport?" Buffy had her eyes firmly closed as she spoke, or rather screamed over the screeching of the car's wheels and the roar of its engines, she really didn't want to see what her crazed companion crashed them into.  
  
"Two things. First, they need somewhere secluded to put a drugged girl and the arms they used on the raid onto a plane. And second, remember that lorry I nearly hit on the way to Giles'?" she nodded. "It was on the wrong side of the road, the side of the road Brits drive on, and heading away from Sunnydale Airport. And," a triumphant note entered her friend's voice, "there it is. So," now her friend sounded desperate, "what do we do?"  
  
Buffy reluctantly opened her eyes and glanced across at Xander's face. The poor guy looked destroyed. She glanced at the van just ahead of them. Steeling herself she started to talk. This was a really bad idea, but she owed him.  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
Buffy gritted her teeth and nodded. "Just do your part!" She stood on the car seat, her calves burning with the effort of balancing, and waited for Xander to pull the car parallel with the van. "GO!" Letting out a shriek she launched herself into the air, landing on the van roof on her feet. Her heart missed a beat as she nearly tipped off, nearly plunged to the hard gravel ground below. Taking a breath she somersaulted backwards, flying off the back of the van, grabbing the edge of the roof, and swinging feet-first into the van's doors, sending them crashing inwards.  
  
Landing on the van floor she snapped out a side kick sending one of the rising men to the floor. A second man lunged at her but she simply sidestepped him, causing him to fly out of the van and crash on the road. "Hey, nobody tell you to wear about a seatbelt?"  
  
Suddenly the van veered to the right and came to an abrupt stop, its brakes screaming in protest as Xander completed his part of the plan by running the van off the road. Surprised by the braking Buffy fell onto her face. "Ow!" Seeing the man she'd kicked starting to rise, she grabbed hold of his ankle, and pulled, knocking him back to the ground, his head cracking against the seat. At the other end of the van its third and final occupant began to draw a gun. Eyes narrowing in concentration, Buffy pulled her knife out of her ankle sheath and threw it into the thug's forearm. The man let out a scream of pain and released his gun, allowing it to drop to the floor. Leaping to her feet she rushed over to the man, shrugged off a left jab that bounced off her head, clutched the man around his throat and lifted him into the air. "You know," she tried for a John Wayne drawl, "this town isn't big enough for the two of us."  
  
"The Council want her," the man gasped, "you're disobeying the Council."  
  
"Guess what? Don't care." She punched him on the chin, wincing at the sound of his jaw breaking before throwing him into the wall. Buffy rushed over to a manacled Kendra, her chains fastened to a bolt in the floor, and crouched down in front of her. "Kendra," the dazed girl didn't seem to register her presence. "Kendra these thugs are out cold, I'm going to check on Xander," there was the barest flicker in Kendra's eyes at Xander's name, "then I'll come back and get you okay?"  
  
She waited for a second for an answer. When she didn't get one, she stood and hurried out of the van. "Xander are you -," her voice trailed off as she turned round the back of the van to find Xander holding a sweating Wesley against the van, the muzzle of an automatic pressed against his throat.  
  
"Miss Summers-," the Watcher stared pleadingly at her.  
  
"Shut up Wesley," she ordered tersely before turning her attention to Xander, "please Xander, put the gun down."  
  
"They were going to hurt Kendra," Xander growled through gritted teeth, "they need to learn a lesson."  
  
"Tried to hurt her," Buffy said as she measured the distance between her and Xander, she'd never make it in time. "Please Xand-," suddenly she had an idea. Turning she hurried back into the van and over to Kendra. "Kendra!" the girl continued to stare dully at her. "Kendra! Xander needs your help."  
  
"Xander, suddenly there was a spark in her counterpart's eyes, "Xander needs me?"  
  
* * *  
  
"I heard how you were going to sell us all out last night," Xander thumbed back his gun's safety as he stared into the Watcher's terrified eyes, "what gives a coward like you the right to judge a girl who's risked her -."  
  
"Mr. Harris -."  
  
"Quiet, I'm talking," Xander growled. The Watcher's mouth clamped shut. "You sit safe in your offices and you think you can judge Ken-."  
  
"Xander don't."  
  
He shook his head at his girlfriend's soft voice. "I'm not going to let him hurt you."  
  
"Xander you'll hurt me more if I have to watch you kill him."  
  
He glared into the Watcher's eyes for a second. "You just got lucky," he growled, "the girl you wanted to kill just saved your life." He slammed the gun's butt into the Englishman's forehead, knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Xander," he glanced towards a nervous-looking Buffy, "what happened to the driver?"  
  
"Hadn't got his seatbelt on, he flew out of the window when he did the emergency stop. We going back to Giles' now?"  
  
* * *  
  
Giles stared at the Watcher sat on his sofa, a very unGileslike rage bubbling up beneath his clam demeanour. "Could you all take Kendra upstairs and check her out please? I would like to have a few words with Mr. Pryce in private," Buffy's mouth began to open only for Angel to motion her to silence and guide her outside. He waited until he heard the creak of the top step before striking. "You bastard!" Lunging forward he grabbed his surprised fellow Englishman by the throat and threw him to the carpet. "You bug my house," he slammed a foot into his compatriot's ribs eliciting a moan, "you attack me and my wards," he stamped hard on the younger man's kidneys, "you make one of my Slayers sick," he pushed the man's face into the vomit he had purposely not cleaned up from earlier and," suddenly he felt strong arms dragging him off the man, "let me at the bugger, I'm going to bloody kill him!"  
  
"Giles!" it was Buffy. "Calm down, this is not the way we deal with things!"  
  
"The bugger was going to imprison Kendra!"  
  
"But he's not anymore. Now where's the bug?" the Watcher stayed silent. "Faith, I think maybe we should take Kendra out shopping to relax her. Xander, could you drop Angel back home? We hate to leave you Wesley, but I'm sure Giles will treat you well while we're gone."  
  
"The radiator it's in the central heating timer" Wesley began to babble. "That's why I took so long to join you, the Council wanted a bug in place to keep track of what was happening here before sending a man in."  
  
"Xander, can you?" he asked.  
  
The teen nodded and crouched by the timer. Seconds later he dropped an electronic device into his hand. "Yeah that's a bug alright, soldier boy remembers them, a little more advanced, more miniaturised but that's the same design."  
  
Giles nodded before glaring at the man still lying on the carpet. "This is what's going to happen." 


	12. 10a

Three Slayers 10A - Enemies  
  
"I must say Xander your plan is reckless in the extreme."  
  
Xander sighed at the doubt in the Englishman's voice. "I know that G-man," he glanced up at the hallway door, he wanted nothing more than to be upstairs with Kendra, holding, comforting her but he had to concentrate on the job in hand. "I'm not exactly cart-wheeling about it either. But given what Faith found on Finch we have to find out more about the Mayor's operation."  
  
The Watcher stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. "Very well, when do you propose putting your plan into action?"  
  
"As soon as possible."  
  
* * *  
  
"How's Kendra?"  
  
Faith glanced across at her companion, taking a second to weigh up her thoughts before replying. Xander and G might be able to forgive her for all the shit she'd put them through because she'd rescued Kendra but she hadn't. She might be grateful but she wasn't stupid, she'd been conned too much by people's acts in the past to take one action as proof of a change of character. She wasn't going to let the blonde get into a position where she could stab, her, Ken, and the guys square in the back. "Five by five," she muttered, "office's this way." The blonde nodded before following her down the corridor.  
  
Faith took a nervous breath. It was a few years since she'd done any breaking and entry, and this was big shit, way out of the league she used to play in. Not only did the office building belong to the town mayor, the same guy was also a budding black mage attempting to ascend to demonhood. Her full lips quirked up in a slight smile. "So no pressure then," she whispered.  
  
"Here it is," Buffy pointed at the brass plaque on a mahogany door.  
  
Faith raised an eyebrow. "Gee B," she said, "what gave it away, Wilkins' name on it?"  
  
The blonde reddened at her sarcastic tone. "So how do we get in?"  
  
"Try this." Grabbing the door handle, she twisted it forcing the look and pushed the door open. She sauntered into the office and stopped. "Fuck." Every drawer in the filing cabinet inside the office was open and empty. "We're too late B."  
  
"Damn," Buffy looked at her, "Wilkins beat us to it."  
  
"Yeah," Faith nodded, "let's split."  
  
* * *  
  
Wilkins pursed his lips as he watched on the security monitor as the Slayers leave his office. Somehow they were onto him. He wondered how the Slayers had found out about him. Perhaps Finch had talked to them before his unfortunate demise. "The how is not important," he muttered, "what I do next is." Fixing a smile on his face he turned to the figure behind him. "Mr. Trick it's time for you to earn your salary, take your boys and kill them."  
  
The vampire morphed into his demonic face and grinned. "My pleasure."  
  
* * *  
  
"Any luck?"  
  
Faith started as Xander slid out of the darkness. Fuck, a normal human shouldn't be able to sneak up on a Slayer, how did he do that? Before she could speak Buffy broke in. "Nothing, is Kendra okay?"  
  
Faith gritted her teeth; there it was again, all that gushing concern. Was it sincere? "Giles is looking after her," Xander replied.  
  
Faith shook he head, her bud looked so destroyed, if she was the touchie- feelie type she'd grab hold of him and give him a hug. Instead she stepped forward and punched him gently on the arm. "She'll be five by five Xand," she winked at her friend, "we'll make sure of it."  
  
Her friend's answering smile died when a group of vampires hurried out of the shadows to surround them. "Oh crap."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander felt the familiar coldness come over him as the three of them moved back to back. He quickly counted the vampires, three to eight, the two Slayers could handle this many on their own. His brow furrowed when he noticed the almost terrified expression on Faith's face. "Faith," he muttered, "what's up?"  
  
"T..that's Trick, Kakistos' main henchman," the Slayer's voice trembled.  
  
"So?" Xander kept a wary eye on the approaching vampires as he encouraged the brunette, "you killed his boss, now it's time to clean up the remains. Right?" Faith nodded. "Good," Xander pulled out his stake, "now that's settled, let's kick some undead ass."  
  
Instantly the two Slayers exploded into action, charging the vampires. Xander took a different approach, choosing to wait for the vampires to come to him.  
  
He didn't have long to wait. A Nordic-looking vampire leapt towards him, her fangs bared. Xander waited to the last instant before sidestepping the vampire's charge and bringing a knee up into his rival's thigh. The female vampire let out a pained grunt. Reaching out he grabbed a hold of the vampire's golden, shoulder-length hair as she stumbled past him and pulled her back towards him and onto his stake, the vampire shrieked before exploding into dust.  
  
Xander turned to re-join the fray but before he had chance a fist crashed into his jaw, knocking him into the alley wall. As Xander attempted to shake his head clear he saw his assailant approach. The vampire was only short, not more than five foot and a half, but judging from his body's thickness and muscularity he'd been a highly successful bodybuilder before his death. "Great," Xander muttered as he pushed off from the wall, "I get the Sylvester Stallone of vampires."  
  
Sidestepping the vampire's rush he right crossed the vampire in the eye, grinning at the highly satisfying crunching sound of his rival's eye socket shattering under his blow. The vampire growled low in his throat before reaching out, grabbing him around the lapels and flinging him back into the wall.  
  
"Ah shit!" Xander screamed as his back and head thudded into the wall before sliding down to hit the ground. His eye already swelling, the snarling vampire walked over to him. At the last instant he drove the point of his foot up into the vampire's groin. The vampire groaned and fell to his knees, before the vampire had chance to recover Xander drove his stake up into his rival's heart.  
  
Xander's eyes burnt for a second with the vampire's exploded dust. Looking up he saw Buffy being strangled by the vampire Faith had identified as Mr. Trick. Groaning slightly with the effort he pushed himself to his feet and started towards Buffy only for Faith to sneak up behind Trick and slam a stake into his back.  
  
The brunette turned towards him and grinned. "Fuck Xand, you look like shit."  
  
He grimaced. "Thanks Faith." He looked at Buffy. "You alright?" Her hands rubbing at her throat Buffy nodded, he turned back to the brunette Slayer. "Back home?"  
  
The brunette glanced towards her blonde counterpart before shaking her head. "No Xand, got things to do."  
  
"Things?"  
  
Faith looked at Buffy. "Thinking about shit B," she explained. "You go home, I'll see you there later."  
  
* * *  
  
"So you think you can send your hired killer after me?"  
  
Oh dear, Wilkins looked up from his desk to see the brunette Slayer stood in the doorway. This was most troubling, while the Slayer couldn't actually kill him, he imagined she could hurt him considerably and at some length. "Shouldn't you be at home tucked up in bed young lady?"  
  
"Why Mayor Wilkins," the brunette smirked at him, "how very Clinton of you. Were you making an indecent advance towards me?"  
  
"Not at all," he huffed. Good gracious, the very idea, what would his long dead wife say?  
  
"Shame," the Slayer perched on the side of his desk, "been a while since I had an older man." To his dismay the Slayer began rummaging through his carefully organised desk. "So now your hitman's dead you'll be needing a replacement. How much does the job pay?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I'm thinking of branching out from just being a Slayer, so what do ya say?"  
  
"Young lady this offer is highly tempting," the Mayor replied, careful not to anger the Slayer, "but why would you want to work for me. After all your friends-."  
  
"Friends?" Suddenly the bantering humour left his guest's eyes to replaced by a searing anger. "Try the new fucking Watcher who's obsessed with trying to perv at me in the shower after training? Try Blondie whose spends time sucking face with a fucking vampire, but is still G's blue-eyed girl? Or Kendra whose the good perfect little Slayer? And try my so boring boyfriend or my supposed best friend who I caught going through my underwear drawer! I want more than this shit!"  
  
Impressed by the veracity he heard in the Slayer's voice he nodded. There was a way he could test her loyalty. A smile on his face he began to talk.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you alright Faith?"  
  
The Slayer stood in his hallway smiled wanly at his concerned query. "I'm five by five G, how's Ken?"  
  
"She's sleeping with Xander."  
  
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Encouraging underage sex? You dawg G, you dawg."  
  
Giles sighed. "Sleeping as holding her while she sleeps Faith. Do try and get your mind out of the gutter."  
  
The Slayer chuckled. "I'd have to get it out of the sewer first," she nodded at him, "night G."  
  
"Good night Faith."  
  
* * *  
  
Faith took a breath as she stared at the forbidding mansion, night had just fallen, giving the building an even more eerie feeling. She was taking the biggest gamble of her life. If things went wrong, she could be in a world of trouble. "Play it cool girl," she muttered. Schooling her face she strode up to the front door and knocked.  
  
Seconds later the door flew open to reveal a surprised looking Angel. "Faith!"  
  
"Ten out of ten for observation Fang." She hesitated. "Can I come in?"  
  
The vampire stepped aside to allow her in. After a second's hesitation she nodded and walked in. "What brings you here Faith?"  
  
She shrugged casually, her hand slipping into her jacket, grabbing hold of the flask she had hidden in there. "This!" Moving suddenly she threw the bottle's inky contents over the vampire's chest.  
  
Angel looked down at her, his eyes widening in horror. "Faith! What are you doing?"  
  
"Giving you your groove back," Faith replied, her nonchalance masking the terror gripping her heart.  
  
Suddenly there was an explosion of lights and a shrouded figure stepped out of a gleaming portal to their left, uttering a succession of arcane words. Angel's eyes bulged as he went into convulsions before crumpling to the ground. She glanced up at the shrouded figure. "That it?" The man nodded. "Talkative chap ain't ya?" The man turned and disappeared back through the hole. "Hey call me! That all mystery thing can really get a girl wet don't ya know?" She glanced down at the limp body at her feet. "So what happens next?"  
  
Her muttered question was answered when the vampire leapt to his feet, fully in game-face. "I'm back baby!"  
  
The vampire's back-handed slap sent her down to one knee. Shrugging it off she leapt back up, grabbed the vampire around the waist and flung him back to the ground. The vampire let out a laugh. "Oh you like it on top Faith? Not my favourite position," her adversary snapped her head back with a right hook to the mouth, bloodying her bottom lip. "But I can work with it!"  
  
Ignoring the taunt she cracked a left hook into the vampire's left cheek, rocking his head to the side. "Oh feisty," the vampire laughed again, "I bet you're a wriggler! I just love a wriggler!"  
  
Finally she managed to pull out her stake. Holding it an inch or so above the vampire's heart, she spoke, her voice low and controlled. "So the spell worked uh? Angelus is back, how about we go and see the town's boss, he really wants a meet and greet with you."  
  
Angelus' face morphed back into its human mask, damn if he was human she'd so jump his bones. "I don't have a boss."  
  
"You do now," Faith pressed the stake down, "so what's your answer?"  
  
The vampire nodded. "I'm always willing to learn," a sly look entered his eyes, "how about sealing our new understanding with a kiss."  
  
"Do I look blonde? Now," she rose, keeping a careful eye on the vampire, one thing she knew about Angelus was that he couldn't be trusted, "let's go."  
  
* * * 


	13. 10b

Three Slayers 10B - Enemies  
  
"Well hello Angelus," the Mayor beamed at the sneering vampire, Faith had done it, brought back the vampire that had dominated the Summers Slayer the previous year. "Tell me," must be polite, "do you prefer Angel or Angelus?" "Well actually," Angelus began to stride the office floor, his eyes never leaving his face, "I'm thinking more along the lines of you calling me Master." Mayor Wilkins shook his head before waggling his finger at the vampire. "Ah. Angelus you need to park that attitude mister. We're all team players here, isn't that right Faith?" the brunette nodded dutifully. "And I am the one responsible for your new attitude." Angelus nodded thoughtfully before picking up a letter opener and dragging it across the desk surface. "So you're the reason I'm back?" He nodded. "No problems with the transition?" he did like to get value for money. "No side effects? " Angelus shrugged. "Had a soul, it's gone." The vampire started throwing the letter opener from hand to hand. Wilkins beamed. "Not having a soul, that must be liberating!" "Whatever," Angelus raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I don't mean to rush things here but are you trying to get to some kind of point? " "Tut, tut, tut," the Mayor shook his head, "I'd have thought with your immortality you'd have learnt patience. Well the point is Angel, you're a very powerful young man, with plenty to offer, and there may just be a future for you in Sunnydale if you're co-operative. I see you're admiring my letter opener." Angelus smiled. "Well, actually, I was thinking of stabbing you through the heart with it. " "Violence, violence. Why is it always violence with you vampires?" He shook his head in disappointment before spreading his hands. "Be my guest. " Angelus threw the letter opener at him. At the last second Wilkins brought his right hand in front of the projectile and the blade embedded itself up to the handle though his palm. "Nice shot. Tickles a little. " After smiling at the vampire's stunned expression, he pulled the weapon out of his hand and held up his palm so the vampire could watch it heal in seconds. "You see, I'm what you might call impervious. Can't be killed, or harmed in any way," he wiped the blade with a tissue. "And that's just a cornerstone in my plans for this great town of ours." For a second the vampire looked shaken then he smirked. "Mmmm. Can't be killed, but you don't like germs? " Wilkins shuddered. "Uck, eew, awful things, unsanitary. But my question is, now  
  
that Faith has brought you back, what are your intentions? I trust they're strictly dishonourable?" "Well gee sir, I thought I'd take care of some unfinished business and find Buffy," Angelus' smirk widened, "trouble and torture, maim, and kill her." The Mayor beamed. "Ah you're the industrious type, not like those slackers, school drop-outs and bums. Torture Buffy. Killing her's fine, just make it a slow one." "My favorite kind of death," Angelus replied. "Good to see we're on the same page," Wilkins beamed. "Now have fun." Faith was almost bouncing with eagerness. "Let's do it." "Ah," something important struck him, "Angelus, try to have her home by midnight." He shook his head at the girl's pout. "There's no need to pull a face young lady, rules are there for a reason." He smiled as Angelus and Faith left before wiping away a tear. "She's not a little girl anymore."  
* * * "Hi B." Buffy looked up from packing her bag, careful not to let her disdain for the traitor show. If not for the mage contacted by the Mayor being an old friend of Giles she'd be walking into a trap. She always knew Faith was trash. "Where have you guys been? " "Been looking for you. Good thing we found you before we left." Angel bent down and kissed the top of her head. "We've found some information on the ascension; I'm storing it at the mansion." "We'd take 'em to Giles ourselves but," Faith shrugged, "Fang thinks strength in numbers is the way to go. Come on." Buffy reached for her weapons bag but Angel grabbed it before her and smiled. "Let me get those for you." Quarter an hour later and they were in the mansion. "So where's this information," she demanded, this plan was scary very scary.  
  
"Actually," she turned at Angel's tone, her blood chilling as her ears picked up the subtle nuances in his voice that separated Angel from Angelus, "there's been a slight change in plan, Buff." Buffy let out a not wholly feigned gasp. "Buff? You just called ... What's the matter with you?" "Nothing," Angel vamped out. "Matter of fact, I haven't felt this good in a year." "Angel? " "Guess again." "No." Angel grinned. "Yeah, and I'm just wondering where do I start? Card? Fruit basket? Evisceration?" her boyfriend grabbed her arms. "No," she shook her head. Angel's grin widened. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Maybe there's still some  
  
good deep down inside of me that remembers and loves you. If only you  
  
could reach me. Then again, we have reality where I'm a murdering vampire and you're a bimbo." Buffy pulled away from him, deciding to give Faith one final chance to follow her rightful lead. "I will kill you before I let you touch me. Faith, we need to get out of here, now." "Speak for yourself, B. Me, I like it here." Hearing Angel's growl she turned towards the vampire only for him to knock her out with a roundhouse blow.  
* * * Buffy groaned her way to consciousness to hear Faith cheerfully taunting her. "Hey B, bondage looks good on you, B. The outfit's all wrong, but we can work with that!" "You don't know what you're doing," Buffy attempted to reason with the skank Slayer. Faith gave her one of her trademark smirk. "Really? Weird, because something about all this just feels so right. Maybe it's one of those unhappy childhood things. See, when  
  
I was a kid I used to beg my mom for a dog. Didn't matter what kind. I just wanted something to love. A dog's all I wanted. Well, that and toys. Got some now though," the bitch lifted a blanket to reveal torture instruments. "But mom was so busy enjoying the drinking, screwing, and passing out parts of life that I never really got what I wanted, until now." Buffy licked her lips, even though it was still Angel, a bad Slayer was far from more dangerous than a Master Vampire, even one with the reputation of Angelus. "Faith, listen to me very closely. Angelus is a killer. When he's done with me, he'll turn on you." Angelus laughed, the sound chilling her even though she knew he was really Angel. "She's right. I probably will." Faith raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Hunh. Guess we'll just have to keep you around for a  
  
while then. Before we get started, I just want you to know, if you're a screamer, feel free. After all, the longer you last, the longer before we start on the rest," Faith grinned, "we'll save Red for last." "Why, Faith? What's in it for you?" "What isn't? You know, I come to Sunnydale," Faith began to stride the floor, " I'm the Slayer. I come here for help, what do I get? A sneering bitch who looks down on me 'cause I never got the great mom, the chances she had. So I slay, I behave, I do the good little girl routine. I try and fit in, but you and Willow just sit there whispering behind your hands. Well I'm sick of taking your shit." Buffy's mouth dropped open, it wasn't her fault, she was the lead Slayer Faith should follow her. "Faith, listen to me!" "Why?" the fiery rage in Faith's eyes was frightening. "So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, that it? Tell me you think you're better than me? Do you? Say it, you think you're better than me." "I am," she sneered. "Always have been." A snarl on her lips, Faith backhanded her. Ignoring the blood in her mouth, she glared at her counterpart. "You had to tie me up to beat me. There's a word for people  
  
like you, Faith. Loser." Her eyes gleaming, Faith stepped towards her. "Faith," it was Angel. After a second the brunette stepped back and shook her head. "Uh huh. You're just trying to make me mad so I'll kill you. I'm too smart for that. Stick around." "For what? Your boss's lame Ascension. Like I couldn't stop it." Faith laughed. "Let's see. The Master killed ya, Spike ran rings around ya until me and Ken offed him, Angelus killed G's one steady and treated you as his personal bitch, you've got a wicked record there B." Buffy reddened at the brunette's recounting of her record, it wasn't like that she was the best Slayer ever! "I will." Faith sniggered. "Keep dreaming. No one can stop the Ascension. Mayor's got  
  
it wired, B. He's been around for a century, built this town for demons to feed on and come graduation day, he's getting paid. And I'll be sitting at his right hand. Assuming he has hands after the transformation." Her rival tilted her head to the side, a quizzical look on her face. "I'm not too clear on that part. And all your little lame ass friends are going to be party nibbles. Think about that when your boyfriend's cutting into you." Buffy shook her head, she never realized she'd treated Faith so badly. Her, Kendra, and Faith could have all been friends if she hadn't treated them both so badly, looked down on them. "I never knew you had so much rage in you. " "What can I say? I'm the world's best actor." "Second best," Angel spoke up from behind the brunette causing her counterpart to spin round. "Graduation day. You think we missed anything?" Angel replied, a sad smile on his lips. "I think we know everything she knows." "May I say something?" Buffy pulled her hands free. "Psych!" "You played me. You played me!" Snarling ferally, the brunette leapt for the window, Buffy rushed towards her, but somehow Angel got in the way, knocking her to the ground.  
* * * "So what are we going to do about that bitch?" Buffy growled impatiently, she didn't understand why they were meeting at the Bronze instead of the library and why Jonathan had grabbed Willow and dragged her away to check out some hacking software he'd written, Willow needed to be here. Her blood froze as Xander stared her dead in the eye. "We're doing nothing Buffy, nothing at all." "But -." "Miss Summers," it was Wesley, "Mr. Harris came up with a plan whereby one of the Slayers would be secreted into the Mayor's operation to gain details of what he had planned. Today's charade was undertaken with Angel's full knowledge beforehand. It was merely a way of ingratiating Faith further with Wilkins as well as getting some information out without risk to Faith." The Watcher nodded at a stern-faced Xander, "a plan that worked most admirably." Her counterpart was a double agent? "Why wasn't I told!" she demanded. "Loose lips sink ships," at her confused expression Xander continued. "Because I decided that the fewer people knew, the less danger Faith was in." "Fine," Buffy nodded, "so why are we meeting here rather than the library? And why isn't Willow here?" "We're meeting here because there's a chance the library and other places we meet might be bugged by the Mayor. Here is impossible to bug. As for Willow," Xander hesitated, "I didn't want to tell either you or Deadboy but you had to be told because of your part in what happened today." "You can't leave Willow out of this!" "We can and we will," Xander's eyes hardened even further. "I don't trust either of you," the man's gaze took her and Angel in, "but you have to be told. Willow doesn't have to be, and if she was she'd just 'forget' and babble it at the wrong time to get Faith killed." "How dare you!" Buffy began to rise only to stop at Angel's hand on her shoulder. "G-Man, tell her what Willow was doing when we were kidnapped by Spike," Xander's eyes didn't shift from her face. Buffy's mouth dropped open at the Watcher's recital; Willow had tried mind- control? But then again, Kendra and Faith had stolen Xander from them. "So she made a mistake! That's no reason to cut her out!" Suddenly Xander smiled, causing her to break out in a cold sweat. "Fine, tell her. Oh and by the way, if Willow blabbers and gets Faith killed, then it's your responsibility. And because you cost me my best friend and Jonathan his girlfriend. I'll kill your best friend and," Xander looked at Angel, "your boyfriend." The teen turned to Giles, his gaze softening. "I'm going to see Kendra. See you there."  
* * * "How dare he talk to me like that! I'm his best friend!" Buffy wiped at her eyes. After delivering his own warning Giles had left taking Wesley back to his apartment, leaving her behind with Angel. "Are you?" "Of course!" "Buffy if you had a little puppy who adored you but you neglected and ignored it, what would the puppy do?" Buffy's forehead furrowed. "What's that got to do with it?" "Just answer me," her boyfriend's tone was gentle, coaxing. "It bites you." The vampire nodded. "Think puppy = Xander. For two years you and Willow treated as an add-on as nothing. Then first Kendra, and then Faith come to town. One girl loves him, the other hero-worships him, giving him the respect he's always craved but never got from you -." "That's so not true!" her protest sounded weak even to her own ears. "Is it? I remember the dance you used to humiliate a man who'd brought you back to life just months earlier," her cheeks burned with embarrassment at the reminder, "how you put Angelus' life above that over your friends-." "Now hold on!" Angel appeared not to hear her protest. "And how you threatened him when he was angry about my return from hell. What do you expect?" Suddenly the realisation of what she'd done came crashing in. "Do you think we could ever be friends again?" Angel shrugged. "I don't know, but things will never be the same. Kendra and Faith have taken your places in his affections. You ready to patrol?" Buffy nodded numbly. Whatever it took she'd make Xander understand how sorry she was. She'd make it up to Kendra and Faith too.  
* * * "How is she?" Jonathan turned at his whispered question, his face drawn not only with worry for Kendra but also Faith. "Sleeping," his friend replied, "how did the meeting go?" Xander grimaced. His temper had got the better of him but he was getting sick of Buffy's self-centered Weltanschauung. "Buffy understands," if she didn't then she'd signed her own death warrant.  
* * * The Mayor smiled. "Well, you win some, you lose some. From where I'm sitting,  
  
it's batting average that counts. So you lost some friends." Faith shrugged. "I wouldn't exactly call them friends." God she hoped G and the others were five by five. "Well, what are you worried about? Chin up! You don't see me looking disappointed. Heck, no. You know why? Because I know you'll always have me, Faith. I'm the best, the most important friend you'll ever have. Besides, you know, once the Ascension starts, the 'in' crowd you're so concerned about? Whoo! They'll be lucky if there's enough left of them to fill a pothole. Promise." Once the Mayor had left Faith looked around her new apartment. It was fancy, real fancy, far plusher than the makeshift room she had at G's. But, but it wasn't home. 


	14. 11A

Three Slayers 11A - Earshot  
  
"Ken, are you sure you're alright to patrol?"  
  
Kendra smiled up at Xander's worried face. Even at the depths of her despair over Finch's death she'd been able to garner comfort from Xander's concern for her. "'Tis my duty Xander," she replied softly, "Mr. Giles says I'm ready. Xander," Kendra swallowed. "What happens if I kill someone again."  
  
"Ken," she felt Xander's arm snake around her shoulders, "remember what Giles said. Council records go back in fourteen centuries. And in that time you're only the sixth Slayer to have an accident. It isn't going to happen again. "Besides.." her boyfriend's voice trailed off.  
  
Kendra looked up at her love's face. "Besides what?"  
  
"Besides, they're definitely not human." Kendra's eyes widened as she saw two demons in the park's picnic area. Drawing her axe she hurried over to the demons, a pair of ugly flesh-coloured monsters with no mouths.  
  
"Hi guys!" she said brightly as she launched herself into the air, her feet smashing into the nearest demon's chest staggering it. Landing on her side, she rolled up instantly to her feet.  
  
The second demon grabbed her around the neck, Kendra's hands flew up to snatch hold of the beast's forearm and threw it into the swing set pole. Both demons bounded up and charged her.  
  
Kendra caught the first demon with a swift kick to the stomach, grabbed the monster and threw it over her shoulder onto a picnic table, shattering the table under the impact. While the demon laid stunned Kendra brought her axe down separating the beast's head from its shoulders, its blood splashing up, some of it catching on her hand. Kendra spun round to kill the other demon but it had gone. "Damn it," Xander took a breath before speaking again. "Why didn't you wait?"  
  
"Xander, I had to do it on my own."  
  
Xander nodded in reluctant understanding. "Do you feel better?"  
  
Kendra grimaced as Finch's face flashed before her. "Not really, but I will. Let's go home."  
  
* * *  
  
"Giles can I speak to you?"  
  
Giles looked up at the second Slayer and smiled. "But of course Kendra," he gestured to the other chair in his office. "Please take a seat."  
  
"Thank you," Kendra hesitated, "I've got an itch."  
  
An itch? Giles felt Ripper ripple to the surface, if that little bugger had given his girl a STD he'd castrate him. Forcing a comforting smile he nodded. "Don't worry about it dear they're most discreet at those sort of clinics." Oh yes, Xander had most definitely best move dimensions.  
  
Kendra looked confused. "Clinics? But how could clinics help me with an itch caused by demon blood?"  
  
Demon blood? Giles felt his cheeks flame. "Ah, quite right. I heard a rumour about an infection sweeping the school," he lied smoothly, "but you being a Slayer you'd be more immune than most." Deciding a change of subject was most definitely in order, he glanced distastefully at the computer perched on his desk. When Jonathan had joined the 'Scooby Gang', one of the first things he'd done was write a comprehensive database of demon species and famous vampires. No scanning of-course, they'd learnt their lesson with Moloch. "Could you give me that description again please?" he asked as he turned the computer on.  
  
"Is this it?" Kendra nodded at the photo he'd printed off, Giles grimaced at the accompanying text, oh dear. "Here it says they can infect the host."  
  
Kendra's eyes widened. "Infect? Infect?" Giles continued to read. "GILES! INFECT?!"  
  
He looked up reprovingly. "Kendra, shouting does not get the answers any quicker." When the Slayer fell into a pouty silence he continued to read. "Oh um, infect the host with an aspect of the demon. That's all it says."  
  
Kendra gulped. "An aspect of the demon? You mean like a part of it?"  
  
"Calm down," Giles soothed. "There could be any number of explanations for your hand. A new fabric softener can cause irritation. In any case, I would advise not attempting to track the one that got away. Let's minimize your exposure."  
  
"It's a bit late for that!" Kendra had gone a grayish colour. "I'm going to end up looking like that. WITHOUT A MOUTH!"  
  
Giles winced at the Slayer's screech. "And wouldn't that be a shame," he muttered.  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra hurried through the corridor a beaming smile on her face. She'd awoken this morning to find her itch gone, problem solved. "Look at the ass on Kendra, what I'd like to do to tha-."  
  
Cheeks flaming Kendra spun round. "Who said that!" Whoever it was they were going to get a pounding. Suddenly Kendra realised that nobody in the busy hall was talking. Puzzled she turned and bumped into a teacher. "Oh sorry Mr. Beech."  
  
The teacher, a short balding man in his late forties waggled a finger at her, a friendly smile splitting his bespectacled face. " Ooo, whoa there. You watch where you're going now young lady."  
  
Kendra smiled in apology. "I'm sorry Mr. Beech, I will."  
  
"Good girl." Mr. Beech walked away. Suddenly Kendra was assaulted by Beech's voice in her head. "Students. I don't know why we bother, we should cut out the middle man and send them straight to juvenile hall."  
  
"Oh boy," suddenly Kendra knew what the aspect of the demon was - she could read minds.  
  
"Do you mind?" Harmony Kendall brushed past her, the blonde's thoughts entering her head. "Students shouldn't be allowed unless they wear fashion labels!"  
  
Kendra smiled. Good to know Harmony was really as shallow as she appeared. Realising she had to tell Giles about this development she hurried to the library.  
  
* * *  
  
"Astounding, that's why they didn't have mouths," Giles stared at her in disbelief. "God I hope she doesn't read my mind and find out I thought Xander had given her that itch through other means - oh bollocks."  
  
Other means? Kendra's mouth dropped open as she realised what Giles meant. "Giles!"  
  
Her Watcher paled at her anger. "Um, the point is this power has fantastic potential," the middle-aged librarian hurriedly interrupted. "Imagine being able to predict your opponent's moves," the Englishman babbled. Inside her head she heard Giles' panicked gabble. "Oh god, change the subject."  
  
Kendra grinned both at her surrogate father's discomfort and the point he had raised. "Good point." Imagine the advantages come exam time.  
  
* * *  
  
Kendra sat in Xander's arms, a pained grimace on her face as the thoughts of all those in the busy cafeteria assaulted her. Her new power wasn't quite the boon she'd thought it had been. Things were great at first, she'd aced an English test. But the thoughts of some of her classmates and some of the teachers were disturbing - what was it with the principal and 'Jive Talkin'? And the others were very uncomfortable around her, with only Giles, Xander, and Jonathan bearing to be around her.  
  
Still, a smile creased her face. At least she no longer had any doubts about her and Xander. He really, really loved her. Although he did have a disturbing tendency to mentally check out any pretty girl who walked past him. She'd have to ask Faith's advice about how to re-train him, her best friend was a wealth of helpful if eye-opening information about such things, better than any teen magazine agony aunt.  
  
Her planning was interrupted by a new voice exploding in her head. "Kill them. Kill them all. Every single one of them!" The voice pounded inside her head, rocking her with the intensity of the hatred contained within it. This was no idle threat. Ignoring Xander's concerned questions she stood and hurried into the centre of the cafeteria, desperately searching for the source of the anger-filled voice. Kendra's distress grew as not only could she not find the voice owner's but the clamour in her head grew until she thought her head would explode. The last thing she saw was Xander's concerned face and then the world went black.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kendra!" Xander grabbed Kendra's limp body as she fell to the ground, his heart thumping with terror. Realising it must have something to with the demon infection, he lifted his girlfriend's slender form into his arms and decided to take her to Giles, his cold eyes backing an approaching Snyder off.  
  
* * *  
  
"Giles!"  
  
Giles spun around from his cataloguing at Xander's tension-filled cry, his heart dropping and his mouth drying at the sight of the youth carrying one of his Slayers in his arms. The expensive first editions he'd been examining fell to the floor through nerveless fingers as he rushed over to assist the younger man in putting his precious passenger down on the coach. "Good lord Xander what happened?"  
  
The anguish in the male Scooby's eyes only added to his pain. "I don't know Giles, one second she walking through the cafeteria babbling about having to find him. And then she collapsed."  
  
"Find who Xander-."  
  
"The killer," they turned to see Kendra gingerly sitting up on the couch. Xander made to push the girl back down on the couch but she resisted his attempt. "Giles, there's a killer out there. Someone who really wants to kill the other students. Everyone in the school. I have to find him -."  
  
"You'll do no such thing young lady," Giles said firmly.  
  
Kendra's mouth opened but whatever specious argument she was about to expunge was lost when the doors of the library crashed open, eliciting a wince from the obviously still-hurting girl, and Buffy and the others rushed in. "Kendra! What happened!" Buffy bellowed.  
  
"Hush Buffy," he reproved gently. "It appears the voices are taking an unexpected toll on Kendra, Oz could you take her and Xander home in your van." The guitarist nodded. "Thank you, now Kendra could you tell the others about the voice in the cafeteria?"  
  
Kendra talked for a few minutes, answering questions about the voice until Giles noted her speech beginning to slur. "Enough!" he ordered, his concern for his Slayer giving his voice a rough, almost animalistic quality. "Oz, Xander take her home, the rest of you search for the killer."  
  
Jonathan raised a timid hand. He nodded towards the youth. "Yes Jonathan."  
  
"Um, in Psych class we studied serial killers," Giles raised an eyebrow, the American Education system, bloody marvellous, "I've got a profiling questionnaire on my computer that police psychologists use to identify suspects in serial killer cases. We could use it."  
  
"An excellent idea," Giles nodded his approval. "Now come on get to it!"  
  
Ten minutes later and he was alone in the library. Hearing the doors open he looked up, expecting it to be one of the children with news. Instead it was the prat. "Why wasn't I informed of Kendra's condition?" Wesley demanded prissily.  
  
In his fraught condition Giles thought of telling the twit the truth - that he simply couldn't be arsed. Deciding that the last thing he needed was another argument he settled on tact. "Somebody was sent," he lied. "Obviously they didn't find you."  
  
"Oh," the other Watcher looked somewhat mollified, then his expression turned serious. "Mr. Giles, I've found some information on those demons, including a cure." Giles began to smile. "But also the fact if the cure isn't administered, Kendra will be driven insane and die within a matter of days."  
  
Giles groaned. Oh no, not good. Not good at all. 


	15. 11b

Three Slayers 11B  
  
"So this demon thing's causing Ken to black out and shit?" Faith's tone was casual but her heart was thundering nearly enough to explode out of its constraining ribcage. It had taken her ages to get to the meeting with Xman and now to hear this. She couldn't lose her sis. "How serious is it?"  
  
"According to Wes we've got to track the demon's mate and Kendra's got to eat its heart to reverse the process. Otherwise," Xander swallowed, "the last person this happened to went mad."  
  
Faith nodded, well that was simple anyway. "Right, I'll cover the south side, you take the north, and B can -."  
  
"No Faith," Xander interrupted, his tone heavy. "It's too risky somebody might see you and wonder why you're trying to help an enemy."  
  
"Fuck that Xan! This is Ken we're talking about," she replied hotly. "Your girl-friend and my sis, I'm not gonna sit on my pretty little ass whi- ."  
  
"Damn it Faith!" Xander's roar made her take a step back. "Can't you just do as you're told! We can't risk you getting discovered okay!"  
  
Rage and hurt bubbled up inside Faith, she didn't take that sort of tone off anybody and she didn't expect it off Xman. Not trusting herself to respond she nodded brusquely, her set face hiding her turbulent emotions.  
* * *  
  
Angel swallowed nervously before knocking on the front door. After a few seconds it swung open. Xander's expression changed from harried to distast(ful). "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to help with Kendra."  
  
Now the boy's face turned aggressive. "No way I'm letting a vampire near my Ken when she's ill," he growled.  
  
Angel remembered the last time he'd seen that look in the teen's eyes, outside Buffy's hospital room. Unfortunately for the boy he wasn't a coward like Angelus. "Xander-."  
  
He was interrupted by the arrival of Giles, the Watcher wearing a scarcely less baleful expression than the younger man. "Angel," Giles said, his voice ice cold. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Buffy told me about Ken-."  
  
"Come to gloat?" Xander put in, his eyes bubbling with hate.  
  
"Xander enough!" Giles snapped before turning back to him. "Go on Angel."  
  
Angel nodded his thanks before continuing. "It's impossible to read a vampire's mind, part of that reflection thing. I could look after her without causing her any pain. I'm also," he licked his lips, "strong enough to restrain her if she goes into seizures."  
  
"Restrain her?" Xander stepped towards him, his eyes flaming but Angel didn't back down.  
  
In an instant Giles was between them. "Xander, bloody calm down!" The Englishman turned to him, his eyes considering. Finally the Watcher nodded. "Come in Angel."  
  
"You're not serious-."  
  
The youth's words trailed off at an angry look from the middle-aged man. "Xander I would strongly advise that you don't engage in a pissing contest with Angel when Kendra's health is at stake."  
  
"Fine," the teen glared at him, "but you hurt a hair on her head and I'll submerge you in a vat of holy water in a coffin filled with crosses. Do we understand each other?"  
  
Angel's face remained expressionless but he was shaken by the resolve in the youth's voice and eyes. Not trusting himself to respond without escalating the situation he pushed past the youth and made his way upstairs.  
  
* * * "Angel will take good care of her Xander."  
  
"He better."  
  
Buffy looked up into her companion's eyes and sighed. Sometimes Xander scared her, the night she messed up and caused the others to be kidnapped by the Master's disciples and when he'd found out Angel had returned from hell for example, but both occasions were nothing to the look in his eyes right now. When they caught up with the demon she suspected her and her sword might very well be redundant. "Where did Giles and Wes head?"  
  
"To Willy's to see if he's got information." Xander cast her an angry glance when she chuckled. "What's so damn funny?"  
  
"Sorry," she smoothed her face, "I was just picturing Wes putting the hard word on somebody."  
  
The beginnings of a smile tugged at Xander's lips. "Maybe we should have sent Jonat-," the smile died. "There it is!"  
  
Seeing that Xander was about to race towards the monster and probably get himself killed, Buffy swept his legs from beneath him, knocking him to the ground. Ignoring the youth's angry bellow she rushed towards the demon. "Sorry Xand couldn't let you do something stupid."  
  
Reaching the demon she sprung into a flying-drop kick at the monster's head but the beast sidestepped her attack and slammed a right hand in her chest, knocking her to the ground. Instantly she spun back to her feet and ducked under a overhead right before snatching her assailant's arm and pulling him into an elbow to the jaw.  
  
The demon's head snapped back before swinging another punch that Buffy smoothly swayed away from, bending backwards at the waist. Seeing the beast was off balance she snapped out a heel smashing the creature's knee knocking it off balance. "Jeez, you're like the Buster Keaton of demons aren't you?" she commented before exploding into a flying spin-kick that connected solidly with the side of the monster's head knocking him to the floor. Before the monster had chance to recover his feet, Buffy's axe came down, slicing its head off its shoulders even as she leapt back to avoid the blood splatter. "That was easy," Buffy's face fell as she realised something and heard Xander hurrying to catch her up. "Now for the heart."  
  
Sometimes she really hated her calling.  
  
* * *  
  
Seeing the young girl he and Buffy had force-fed the heart to begin to shift, Angel rose and hurried to the door. Leaning over the stairs he called out to the others who'd sat downstairs in the hope that some distance . In an instant Xander was half-way upstairs, his speed even out- stripping that of the blonde Slayer. "Is she alright?" the youth demanded.  
  
Damn, thought Angel, if he looked that pale he'd definitely use some tanning lotion. "She hasn't spoken yet."  
  
Xander swallowed, his body shaking. "If it doesn't work out," the boy's words came in gasps, "thanks for trying."  
  
"My pleasure," he smiled and stepped aside but the youth didn't move.  
  
"Dea-, Angel I'm scared," the teen's voice trembled, "I've never loved anyone, not before Kendra, never thought I'd find anyone to -. What if we were too late? What if she's-."  
  
"Xander-." At the weak sound of Kendra's voice, the young man's face expanded in the hugest, most genuine smile he'd ever seen. "Coming Ken," after a grateful nod to him, Xander pushed past and hurried into the bedroom.  
  
* * *  
  
Forcing his trembling legs under control Xander walked into the bedroom. "Hi Ken, how you doing?"  
  
The smile that used to reply to his whispered question was a wan one, but no less beautiful than her normal effervescence. "Better thank you Xander. The silence is wonderful. How was I cured?"  
  
"Um," Xander wished she hadn't asked that question. "Buffy killed the other one."  
  
"Ah," Kendra's eyes filled with understanding. "And that freed me?"  
  
"No," Xander swallowed, "what freed you was when you ate its heart. So you want any breakfast?" he added in a voice redolent with false cheer.  
  
Kendra's face turned queasy and for a second he thought she was going to throw up. "No, I'm quite full," Kendra looked him dead in the eye. "Did the others find the killer?"  
  
"No." Kendra nodded at his answer and started climbed out of the bed. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To find the killer."  
  
"No way -."  
  
"'Tis my duty Xander."  
  
Seeing the unshakeable resolve in his girl-friend's eyes he nodded. "Fine, but I'm coming with you."  
  
* * *  
  
"Kendra!" She was surprised when Buffy engulfed her in an enthusiastic hug. Behind her blonde counterpart Willow was glaring jealously at her. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Much better Buffy, thank you for your help," she smiled at the older girl before turning serious. "Is there any news on the killer?"  
  
"No-."  
  
"It's Percy!" Kendra turned to see a red-faced and panting Jonathan racing towards them. "We found a letter in Freddy Iverson's office from him, there's a lot of hate in it."  
  
"Okay," Buffy took charge. "Split up and look for him, if you see him and he's not doing anything dangerous, come find us. If he is," Buffy grimaced. "Good luck."  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy ran into the Quad, her gaze going over the groups stood there, no sign of Percy. Growling in frustration she turned and looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. Her heart missed a beat as she saw a silhouette in the clock tower holding a rifle. Buffy looked around, her blood freezing at the people milling there, it would be a massacre. Looking round she charged forward, when she reached the base of the stairs, she hopped onto the railing and ran up it. Once the roof was in reach she leapt towards it onto the edge and swinging forward in a ball, then back, up, and over into a flip forward to land on her feet on the roof tile. Her heart pounding she raced across the roof and leapt through a boarded up tower window. Instantly Percy spun round and pointed the gun at her. "Get away from me!"  
  
"Ok Percy," Buffy struggled to stay calm. "You wanna point that somewhere else? Bullet holes aren't really in this season."  
  
Percy shifted the barrel slightly to the side. "Don't you try and stop me!"  
  
Buffy raised her hands but took a step forward. "No, no no stopping. Just thought I'd take in the view."  
  
Percy shook his head. "Go away!"  
  
"Never gonna happen," Buffy retorted, her tone hardening.  
  
"You think I won't use this?" Buffy's heart sank as she noticed Percy's hands had started to tremble.  
  
"I don't know Percy," she stepped forward. "I just-."  
  
"Stop doing that!" Percy lunged backward.  
  
"Doing what?" Buffy stopped.  
  
"Coming closer!" Percy, "I have to do this!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
Percy looked confused for a second then his face became hate-filled. "Because of Harris!" "Uh?" now Buffy was really confused.  
  
"Before he started playing Mr. Tough Guy, I was somebody, respected. Any girl I wanted I got, because they didn't dare say no to the town star. But after your friend decided to get tough, I'm just a laughing stock!"  
  
Buffy couldn't believe how self-centred this asshole was, he was going to kill people because somebody had stopped him from bullying them. Her temper snapped, surging forward she snatched the rifle from the surprised footballer and flung it to the ground. Growling angrily she lifted him by the throat, ignoring his frantic struggles. "Let me get this right," she said through gritted teeth, "you were going to massacre people because you weren't top-dog anyway?"  
  
"I..I wouldn't ever murder anybody," Percy gasped. "I came up here to kill myself."  
  
"Oh crap," Buffy muttered. That meant the real killer was still out there.  
  
* * *  
  
"Damn it I'm hungry." His stomach growling, Xander hurried into the school kitchen. "Maybe Percy-, hey jello!" A grin on his face he hurried the tray full of jello in little bowls and grabbed one only to stop. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the obese lunch lady standing over a cooking pot pouring in a box labelled 'Rat Poison'. "Oh boy, maybe I should go on a diet," he muttered.  
  
Even as he stared at her, the massive woman looked straight at him. Xander dropped the bowl, normally in such a situation he'd stay and fight – but he didn't hit women. Well he didn't hit women twice his size and carrying butcher's knives anyway. Turning he fled into the canteen yelling and knocking over tables as he went. "RAT POISON! RAT POISON!"  
  
Behind him he heard the sound of the lunch lady bursting out of the kitchen doors. Another student standing to escape the panic knocked a chair into him, knocking him to the floor. Before he has chance to rise the lunch lady was stood over him, her cleaver raised. "I can't be letting you hurt him," Kendra clamped her hand on the lunch lady's wrist, preventing her from swinging. "I know he's annoying but he's grown on me."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Kendra ignored him. "Now let's calm down."  
  
The lunch lady had other ideas. "Vermin! You're all vermin. You come in here and you eat, and you eat. Filth!"  
  
"I don't see this being settled with logic. " Kendra pulled the lunch lady forward by her arm, then twisted her wrist back sending the cleaver falling to the ground. The lunch lady let out a bestial growl before taking a swing at Kendra who easily ducked under the attack before retaliating with two hooks that crashed into the large woman sending her flying into the canteen wall and sliding into the floor. Kendra looked down at him, a smile playing on her lips. "Do you need a hand up Xander?"  
  
Xander glared up at his girlfriend. "You're going to pay for that annoying remark you know."  
  
Kendra's smile widened. "What sort of gratitude is that, I just saved your life!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"  
  
Kendra smiled wearily. It had been a close thing, so close in fact that if she hadn't been a Slayer she'd probably be dead. Xander's attentiveness was sweet, but it was also to quote Giles 'bloody annoying'. "Just one thing – go to see Buffy." Seeing her boyfriend's face harden she hurried on. "I read her mind when I was ill. She realises she made mistakes and she really wants to be your friend again. And mine and Faith's too."  
  
"Really?" She nodded. "What about Willow?"  
  
Kendra winced inwardly at the look of hope on her love's face and at what she'd seen in Willow's mind. "Willow's mind wasn't pretty Xander."  
  
Xander's face fell. "Okay," Xander stood and softly kissed her on the forehead. "See you later."  
  
"See you Xander, and make sure you make up with Faith too." Kendra smiled at her boyfriend's surprise. "Mind-reader remember? Oh Xander"  
  
"Yes Ken?" her boyfriend turned back to her, his expression questioning.  
  
"Stay away from Cordelia."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"She has lustful thoughts about you and I'll not be standing that."  
  
A smile played on Xander's lips. "Well she is only human."  
  
* * *  
  
"She's gonna be alright though?" Xander nodded. "Five by five." Faith turned to leave, still angry after last night's confrontation.  
  
"Faith," she turned at her friend's voice. Xander was looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry for shouting at you last night."  
  
Faith shrugged, her nonchalance hiding her hurt. "Didn't mean shit."  
  
"It does. I was so worried about Kendra I forgot other people care about her too, you more than anybody, and that you were only trying to help out of concern. It was selfish and unforgivable. I'm sorry. So we five by five?"  
  
An unwilling smile played on her lips at hearing her catchphrase from somebody else. "Always Xman, always. Same bat-time, same bat-channel tomorrow?"  
  
"You bet," her friend flashed her a grin. "Any message for Jonathan?"  
  
"Tell him," Faith hesitated, she nearly said 'I love him', but fear of rejection stopped her. "Tell him I find out he's even been looking at another girl I'll cut his dick off."  
  
"How romantic," Xander chuckled, "see you tomorrow." Her friend turned away.  
  
"Xand," Xander turned back to her, his expression questioning. "Tell him to be careful."  
  
"Will do. And do the same yourself."  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh hello Xander," Joyce's face showed her surprise at his arrival on her front step. "It's been a long time."  
  
Xander smiled, as uncomfortable with the situation as the middle-aged woman plainly was. "Hi Joyce, Buffy in?"  
  
Joyce smiled before turning in direction of the stairs. "Buffy!"  
  
"Jeez Mom, you bellow like a -," Buffy's voice trailed off as she noticed him stood in the hallway. "Xander."  
  
"Hi Buff," Xander glanced down at his feet, "Ken said I should come round to see you."  
  
The blonde smiled uncertainly. "You want to come up?"  
  
"Sure," Xander smiled at Joyce, "good to see you again."  
  
"And you Xander." Buffy's mother smiled at him before scolding, "try not to make it so long before you come round again."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." After nodding his head in acknowledgement at the telling-off he'd received he joined Buffy on the stairs. He patted the bag he'd brought with him. "Got some munchies and vids for us to watch."  
  
"Great," Buffy smiled maliciously, "Mr. Gordo's missed seeing you."  
  
Xander groaned. "Buffy, I am not talking to your cuddly toy."  
  
The blonde raised an eyebrow. "You'll do what this Slayer tells you."  
  
"No," Xander shot back with a grin and a stuck-out tongue. "That doesn't work anymore. I've got a Slayer of my own to hide behind now."  
  
"Damn," Buffy giggled before turning serious. "I've missed you Xander."  
  
"Missed you too Buffy." 


	16. 12a

Three Slayers 12a – Choices  
  
"Buffy," Angel seemed unusually nervous especially considering his status as an emotionless creature of the night. "I understand you got accepted into UCLA?"  
  
"Yeah," Buffy nodded her mood dampening. After looking around the dark graveyard to check for any possible danger she turned her attention back to her boyfriend. "So did Willow."  
  
"Oh," Angel looked surprised for a second before continuing. "I was thinking of leaving for LA after we've dealt with the Mayor," Buffy's heart dropped. "You and Willow could come with me if you wanted."  
  
"Wow," Buffy was rocked back on her feet. This was a major move. "What about the Hellmouth? We can't leave it unprotected."  
  
"Sunnydale would still have Kendra and Faith, LA's just two hours away so we can be back soon for a major emergency. You and Willow could do the Slay thing with me while studying."  
  
"Okay," Buffy thought for a second, getting back to LA was all she'd dreamed of. "What about a Watcher?" She didn't much care but she suspected the Council would start up a fuss if she just went off lone wolf.  
  
Angel winced. "I've been talking to Wesley-."  
  
"WESLEY!"  
  
"Well if there were any vampires near-by they've started running after that banshee screech," Angel sighed. "He's learning and with Giles here, he's sort of redundant in Sunnydale. If nothing else he's good with the books."  
  
"I'll think about it," Buffy nodded. Things were better between her, Giles, and Xander, but they'd never be as good as they once where and a fresh start, at a better college than Sunnydale, would be heaven. Yeah, it could work.  
  
* * *  
  
"So boss," Faith looked down at the steel box on the Mayor's desk. "What the fuck's in there?"  
  
"Faith," the Mayor looked reprovingly at her, "I've told you I don't appreciate that sort of language from you. You're not a potty mouth, you're a young lady."  
  
"Yeah sorry," Faith bowed her head reverently, not allowing the politician to see her anger. Once she had her emotions under control she looked up, her expression curious. "Ya gonna tell me what's in the box?" she pressed. She reached to open the box's clasp only for the Mayor to rap her knuckles.  
  
"Look don't touch young lady."  
  
Faith gritted her teeth to prevent herself from flinging the pompous prick through the window; it might not kill him but it would fucking hurt. "Sorry boss, what is it?" she pressed, nodding at the box.  
  
"It is the Box of Gavroc, a receptacle of demonic energy. Devouring its contents is a vital ritual en-route to my ascension."  
  
Faith hid a grin as she translated the would-be demon's words. In other words if the others got their hands on the Box it was checkmate. "Pretty wicked," she put what she judged to be the right amount of amazement in her voice before sitting down opposite the Mayor. She went to put her feet up on the desk but stopped at a glare from Wilkins. "So how does it work boss?"  
  
* * *  
  
Xander glanced around the deserted motel car park, his eyes scanning the ground for any sign of suspicious characters. Seeing nobody that appeared out of place he nodded to his companion. "Let's get this done."  
  
Wesley nodded. "Let's."  
  
The two of them climbed out of the car and hurried across the car park, their feet slapping on the wet tarmac beneath them. They'd almost reached the other side of the parking lot when a curvy figure stepped out under the park's solitary lamplight, the smirk on her beautifully mocking face illuminated by the light. "Show a girl a good time guys?"  
  
"Yes Faith," huffed the Watcher. "Very streetwalker chic."  
  
Seeing the Slayer's eyes harden Xander groaned. He knew it was a mistake to include the pompous Brit but no G-Man had to insist that Wesley be involved more. "Pull your horns in Wes. Faith calm down," he ordered quickly. "What's been happening?"  
  
"Yeah," after a final glare at his companion, Faith turned a beaming gaze on him. "Good to see you Xan, have I got some fucking news for you." Xander listened to Faith excitedly explain what had happened today. "I figure you guys come in, steal the Box and the Mayor's ascension is screwed."  
  
Xander's smile turned to a grimace as another thought occurred. "But what happens then?"  
  
The sultry brunette's forehead furrowed. "I don't get ya Xman?" Wesley spoke up. "He means the problem of the Mayor remains. He's still invincible until he ascends. And even unascended he'll be pulling the strings of the town's demonic population. I'm sure it would only be a matter of time before he found another way to reach full demonhood. "  
  
"Aw fuck." Faith kicked a can across the lot. "So what do we do?"  
  
"Perhaps I have a solution." After a moment Wesley began to speak.  
  
Faith's mouth dropped open at Wesley's plan. "No fucking way!" the brunette hissed, her anger making the Watcher back-off. "There is no way you're using him like that!"  
  
Xander stepped between the Bostonian and the Englishman. "Faith, Wes' plan makes a sort of sense. We need someone to read those books of ascension; you don't understand them enough, right?" Faith nodded reluctantly. "So that means we have to get someone in who can read the books to see what they say. G-Man and Wes are out; the Mayor might think they're too valuable to exchange seeing as they're our leaders -."  
  
"Like Wes could lead a horse to water."  
  
Xander ignored Faith's mutter. "Willow," Xander ignored the pain he felt at the mention of his former best friend. "Isn't in on the secret agent deal so we can't use her. And if we use him, the Mayor will be really impressed with your loyalty, make you more secure."  
  
"Fine," Faith's eyes were cold, chilling him to the bone. "But he gets hurt and I'll coming looking for you two."  
  
* * *  
  
"This vamp works for the Mayor right?" Angel nodded, Buffy continued. "So he'll know where this box is and if we slay him the Mayor will assume that's where we got the information from?"  
  
"That's Xander's plan," Angel replied tersely. Buffy sighed. She couldn't see why they couldn't just let Willow in on the plan but if anything Xander's opposition to revealing Faith's double-agent status had hardened after Kendra's mind-reading episode. While whatever Kendra had seen in her mind had encouraged her counterpart to get Xander to give her a second chance, both Kendra and Xander were even more distant from Willow. "Let's go."  
  
Angel slid out of the shadows in front of the portly vampire. Buffy followed suit and winced at the vampire's greasy skin. Immortal but the guy still didn't have time to cleanse? He could only go out during half the day for crying out loud!  
  
The vampire's face paled. "Angelus! Slayer!"  
  
Buffy beamed, it was good to have a reputation. "Yep, hello." She whipped out the pistol crossbow she'd been concealing behind her back and fired a bolt into the beast's chest. "Goodbye."  
  
* * *  
  
"Got them," Giles hurried over to the others. They'd broken into the city library after closing hours, the security system little obstacle to the combined skills of a Slayer, the memories of a Special Forces veteran, and the small-time criminality of Ripper Giles.  
  
"All of them?" enquired Wesley, his face tense.  
  
"The entire plans for City Hall," Xander confirmed.  
  
According to our information," Giles said, careful not to mention Faith, "the box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor." He pointed to a map sheet. "How do you see it Xander?"  
  
For a moment Xander looked surprised to be pushed to the fore, then he began speaking, his tone hushed. "Buffy and Angel come in through the skylight there," he pointed to the map. "Kendra and I provide a distraction at the front of the building. Jonathan," Xander gave his fellow youth a significant look, "waits by the fire ladder on the east side of the building to stabilise the box. Giles will drive getaway for Kendra and I, while Wesley will do the same for Jonathan, Buffy, and Angel who'll meet him at the back of the building.  
  
"And what of the ritual to destroy the box?"  
  
"Yes," Giles nodded, he knew that this part of the plan had been insisted by Xander to decoy Willow away from the action. "Willow, Oz, and Cordelia will set that up back at the library."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ready?" Giles looked over his shoulder to the two youngsters sat in the back of his car, his heart clenching in the all too familiar fear that always gripped him before a fight. They were so young and yet so much rested on their inexperienced shoulders.  
  
"Ready," Xander confirmed his eyes grim.  
  
"Now remember she has a curfew," Giles glanced toward Kendra with a tight smile. His attempt at a joke was met with a chuckle from Xander and a grin from Kendra. When the car door closed behind he added softly. "Keep her safe Xander, keep yourself safe son."  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy glanced at Jonathan with concern. "You are sure about this Jonathan? Because if not you can go back to the van?"  
  
"No I'm fine." The terrified-looking youth stared at her. "That's a really neat cat-suit Buff; do you think Faith would wear one for me?"  
  
Angel chuckled. "Oh there's nothing much wrong with him," her boyfriend smiled at the diminutive boy. "Be careful. Buff, we ready? Let's go."  
  
Buffy glanced down through the skylight as Angel fastened her into her harness. All of a sudden the plan seemed like a bad idea. "Is this gonna work?" she asked doubtfully.  
  
"Depends. Have you done your aerobics?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well you look sort of paunchy in this cat suit," the master vampire teased, "and if you've put on too much weight I might struggle.."  
  
"Funny, real funny." Buffy glared at her boyfriend before pulling out the pouch containing the potion Willow had made to get rid of the Box's protective shield. Once the skylight was open she jumped through it and looked at a straining Angel. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Just get on with it," her boyfriend replied through gritted teeth.  
  
"Okay." Her heart thundering, Buffy allowed herself to be lowered, god she hated the feeling of powerlessness. It wasn't that she didn't trust Angel, it was just part of being a Slayer meant she had to be in control and hanging in mid-air held there by a rope wasn't her idea of control. She winced as she banged into the invisible shield surrounding the box. "Wait!" she called up in a whisper before sprinkling the potion Willow had made onto the shield, there was a flicker. "Go on." Angel lowered her until she was in reaching distance of the box. A triumphant grin on her face, she grabbed hold of the box. Suddenly an alarm rang out. "Oh crap! Angel, get me out of here!"  
  
"You're stuck!"  
  
Buffy's eyes widened as the conference room doors flew open and a trio of vampires swarmed in. "Angel! This is no time to start channelling Xander! Stop messing about and," her hands occupied by the box she was forced to use her legs to keep the demons at bay. "Get me out of here!"  
  
"I told you to cut down on the calories!" Finally the rope began to move, slowly dragging her out of the milling vampires' grasps.  
  
* * * Jonathan stamped his feet nervously, peering anxiously into the inky darkness surrounding him. He didn't like Xander and Wesley's plan at all, no not at all. He'd only agreed to it not only to do something significant, to actually help, but also because he missed seeing his Faith smile crookedly at him, run a hand through his hair. He tensed at a slight footfall behind him. He started to turn only to catch a clubbing left to the back of his skull knocking him to his knees. "Oh goody dinner," he heard the rasping voice of a sixty a day smoker.  
  
"Not," his heart leapt at the sound of Faith's voice, "fucking likely." There was the sound of a vampire exploding into dust and then Faith was helping him to his feet. "Good to see you Johnny," Faith whispered in his ear before pulling him into a hug from behind. "Missed you babe."  
  
A smile on his face, he turned to face his beaming girlfriend. "You too."  
  
Faith raised an eyebrow. "So," his girlfriend pressed her lips to his, her tongue plunging hungrily into his mouth as he enthusiastically returned her interest, pressing his tongue against hers. With a gasp for air he pulled away. "You've been chasing tail while I've been going all 007?" the Slayer chuckled at his headshake. "Good. Now," the brunette turned serious. "You ready?"  
  
Jonathan sucked in his breath. "Bring it on."  
  
"Five by five." He gasped as Faith spun him round and grabbed him around the neck. "Don't worry I won't let anything happen to ya." Despite the thundering of his heart he nodded before dropping a disk out of his pocket. "Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hi guys!" the two vampires stood at the front of City Hall exchanged puzzled glances at Xander's shout. "I'll take the one on the right, you the one on the left," he muttered to his companion, a fixed grin on his face. Kendra nodded. "Five by-," he shook his head in disgust. "That girl's a bad influence. Let's go." Turning his attention back to the vampires he groaned, their rivals had been joined by another three vampires. Not good. Palming a stake he widened his smile as he reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the front entrance. "My girl and I were lost weren't we honey?" without waiting for Kendra's reply. "I thought were to go for directions? And I thought town hall. Which way to the nearest sun-bed?"  
  
Growling ferally the vampires charged them. Xander gritted his teeth. This was going to be rough. Blocking a right on his shoulder he replied with an elbow to his attacker's jaw. Seeing his chance Xander thrust his stake at the vampire's chest but his wrist was caught scant inches from the target, grabbed in a grip of iron.  
  
Xander reacted instantly, driving his knee up into the vampire's groin. His opponent screeched in pain and released his wrist. Immediately Xander slammed his stake into the vampire's heart.  
  
Even before the vampire had exploded into dust another had taken its place, rocking him with a barrage of thunderous punches to the body and culminating with a right to the forehead that knocked him on his ass. His vision blurred he pulled his knees up into his chest and shot his feet out, his heels crashing into the vampire's chest, knocking him back. Feeling a hand grip his collar, pulling him to his feet, he drew back his fist only to stop at a shout from Kendra. "It's me you fool! Giles is on his way, let's get out of here!"  
  
"Good idea."  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy's heart leapt into her mouth as she saw the disc on the ground, the symbol that Faith and nobody else had grabbed Jonathan. "It's started."  
  
Angel nodded, the Box Of Gavroc under his arm. "Let's get back to Wesley and then to the others. Time to put stage 2 into operation." 


	17. 12b

Three Slayers 12b  
  
"You idiots!" Wilkins raged. He knew his amiable mask had completely evaporated but didn't care. Without the Box he couldn't ascend. He glared at his minions taking a sliver of delight from their fear. They might well be scared, after tonight's disaster they'd be lucky if he didn't stake each and every one of them out in the mid-day sun. "You incompetent nincompoops!"  
  
"Take a chill pill boss." The office door swung open to reveal his girl frog-marching a short, frightened-looking teen into the room. "My dumb bastard of an ex decided to stop by for a visit. Sweet of him uh? Back off bozo," the brunette growled at one of the vampires who'd reached for the youth. "I figure the white hats will swap him," his girl back-handed the boy across the back of the head eliciting a pained yelp. "For the Box. Unless you don't want it back, then," Faith cast a significant glance to the room's vampiric occupants. "Well he'll make someone an afternoon snack."  
  
"Such unpleasantness is unnecessary," Wilkins decided. "Put him in one of the store rooms, Faith. Nobody," his gaze impaled every one of the room's vampires. "Is to touch him. Faith."  
  
The beautiful brunette, he really would have to set her up with someone suitable – perhaps that Lindsey fellow from Wolfram & Hart, oh what a lovely couple they'd make, turned back to him. "Yeah boss?"  
  
"Well done, you showed commendable initiative." Seeing the Slayer's smirk, he decided she needed taking down a peg or two. "But Faith, cut out the slang and cussing, nobody likes a gutter mouth."  
  
He thought he saw the merest flicker of anger in the brunette's eyes before her dutiful nod. "Yes boss."  
  
* * *  
  
"Nobody likes a gutter mouth!" Faith hissed furiously as she stormed the empty corridor. "That self-righteous ass. When he's dead I'm gonna crap on his -."  
  
"Faith." Jonathan cut off her rant with a gasp.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
"Can't breath."  
  
"Oh," in her anger she'd tightened her grip around Jonathan's neck, causing her boyfriend to begin to blue. "Sorry babe," she eased up. "That better?"  
  
"Yeah." "Okay," seeing the storeroom she shoved the door open and pushed Jonathan inside before following him inside. After closing the door she looked with concern at her boyfriend. "You got the lock-pick kit?"  
  
"In my sock."  
  
"Ugh," she wrinkled her nose. "Nobody will blame me for not finding it, way your feet smell." She grinned at her boyfriend's glare before turning serious. Placing her hands on his shoulders she looked deep into his eyes. "Sweetie," she heard but didn't care about the tremble in her voice. "If you don't want to do this that's five by five. We can tell the others you couldn't break into the office. It'll just be our secret."  
  
Jonathan looked at her for a second before shaking his head. "N..no, I've got to do this. I've got to make myself useful."  
  
Faith sighed, god his bravery made her so wet but she got so scared he'd get hurt, only Ken and G were more important to her. "Five by five," she hugged Jonathan. "But be careful." She stepped away from her boyfriend and grinned. "Now," she began to stroke Johnny's shoulders and kiss his neck. "Time for your interrogation. Might get a little rough."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander slowed as he entered the library. The brazier with the potion was sat bubbling in the centre of the floor and the others were all there. With one exception, casting Kendra and Giles a worried glance he spoke. "Where's Johnny?"  
  
His heart leapt when Buffy raised a computer disk. Faith and not a vampire had grabbed him. "He's missing. We found this where he should have been."  
  
Xander took a breath. "Someone working for the Mayor must have snatched him."  
  
Xander turned to Giles. "What do we do?" the desperation in his voice not completely feigned for the benefit of any possible bugs.  
  
Giles sighed, a look of defeat in his eyes. "I'll ring Wilkins, organise an exchange for tomorrow night."  
  
"I'm afraid not," Wesley rose from his seat. "I've given the matter considerable thought," Xander judged from the over-acting the younger Watcher had been in his boarding school's drama society. Probably playing the women's parts. "We simply cannot risk the lives of thousands to save one boy."  
  
"That's what the good guys do," Xander replied. It's part of being loyal and honourable, helping your friends. Besides I seem to remember -."  
  
"Do you think I bloody want this!" Wesley interrupted his tirade. "Well I don't but bloody -."  
  
Suddenly Angel had his hands around the Englishman's throat, lifting him into the air. "He was under our care and we lost him. So we do whatever it takes to get him back, get it?"  
  
"Put my boyfriend down!" Xander rolled his eyes back. Trust Cordy to get involved. "Kendra! Buffy!" the head cheerleader's tone got more strident with every word. "Kill!"  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "We're not attack dogs Cordy."  
  
"Uh," the queen of Sunnydale High snorted. "Could have fooled me."  
  
Seeing Kendra and Buffy's eyes widen at the insult Xander decided to step forward. "Angel, not helping."  
  
The vampire turned to look at him and, unseen by the others bar him and Wesley winked. "Fine," dropping the Watcher to the floor, the vampire turned to Giles. "Giles?"  
  
The older Watcher nodded. "I'll ring the Mayor's office right now."  
  
* * *  
  
Jonathan wiped the sweat out of his eyes. At first he thought he hadn't remembered what Giles had taught him but now the door was open. Peeking through he gasped in relief as he found the coast was clear. He started to tip-toe down the corridor then, realising how conspicuous he looked he walked normally, keeping his ears and eyes open for any sign of trouble. Every time he turned a corner he was sure he'd be grabbed by a couple of waiting vampires.  
  
His heart attempting to pound its way out of his ribcage and his mouth drier than a desert, he eventually reached the inner sanctum. After standing by the door for a couple of minutes, reassuring himself that the room was empty he took a breath and eased the door open. Taking a breath he stepped through and hurried over to the cabinet where Faith said the Books of Ascension were kept. Sliding the walnut brown door open, he paled. "Oh shit!" Jonathan whispered at the sight that greeted him. He had to force down the vomit that rose in his throat at the macabre collection of arcane objects arrayed on the top and middle shelves, including human and demonic body parts. Still shuddering, Jonathan rapidly turned his attention to the bottom shelf. Crouching down, he pulled out the first heavy red leather-bound volume and began reading.  
  
"What you got there sugah?"  
  
Jonathan jumped at the sound of his girl-friend's voice, whirling round he glared into her mocking eyes. "Faith," he gasped. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." "Ah but look at the side benefits," the brunette purred.  
  
"Benefits, what benefits?"  
  
Faith's shark-like grin widened. "While you're ill I'll have to slip into my nurse's uniform," Jonathan's mind went into overdrive. "Give you sponge baths and," Faith moved closer to him, her breath hot on his neck. "Attend to your every need." Suddenly the Slayer's tone turned business-like. "Found everything you need?"  
  
Still caught up in the images conjured up by his girl-friend's previously seductive tone it took him a second to answer. "Yeah."  
  
Faith beamed, a genuine smile she seemed to save just for him and always made his blood race. "Well done," she praised.  
  
Jonathan blushed and stared down at the ground, he always got embarrassed when Faith complimented him. Suddenly his head exploded in pain and he was lifted off his feet and flung over the office desk and into the far wall. He stared up in disbelief as his girlfriend advanced on him, what was happening? "Look what I found boss!" Faith shouted, her lips mouthing 'sorry' as she kicked him in the ribs, pulling the blow at the last minute.  
"Our canary tried to fly the cage." Faith slapped him, this blow more stinging than bruising. Grabbing him by his collar she lifted him effortlessly upright and drew back her fist. He cringed.  
  
"STOP!" the Mayor walked into the room, his eyes scanning the wrecked office in distaste. "Really Faith, must you be melodramatic? And in my office. I think your boy-friend has learnt his lesson. Besides, your former friends have agreed to do an exchange for him tomorrow night."  
  
"Tomorrow boss?" Faith's tone was questioning and her face troubled. "Why not tonight?"  
  
"I have to regain my composure Faith," Wilkins explained. "Besides, it's pushing it to get to the school, affect the exchange and get back here before dawn. And while sunlight doesn't bother you and I, we're going to need our vampires as surety against any underhanded dealings."  
  
"I've got your back boss, I can handle the others. We don't need the leeches."  
  
"Two Slayers and Angelus? I have no doubt my girl could handle any of them in a fair fight. But three to one?" the politician shook his head. "Somehow I doubt even you could handle all three. And that's without considering their friends. No," the Mayor shook his head. "We need back- up."  
  
"Five by five," Faith nodded before slapping him around the back of his head, a blow that probably looked painful but had little actual force behind it. "You want I should take him back to his room? I'll stay with needle dick." Jonathan winced, had she been peeking? "Make sure none of the vamps try and feed on him and he doesn't try and make another break for it?"  
  
"An excellent idea," Wilkins beamed.  
  
"Five by five," still gripping him by his collar, the Slayer dragged him out into the corridor. "Sorry about the beating," Faith whispered. "Had to make it look convincing for Wilkins. I'll make it up to ya, promise."  
  
"This making it up, does it involve that nurse's uniform?" he asked hopefully.  
  
Faith's throaty chuckle was his only answer.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander felt his mouth dry as he looked around. It was eight-fifty in the evening and they were in the school cafeteria awaiting the Mayor's arrival. Who was twenty minutes late. What if he'd found out about the plan and right now both Jonathan and Faith were being tortured to death? Glancing around the room he saw the same worry reflected in the faces of the two Slayers, the pair of Watchers and the ensoulled vampire. Suddenly the cafeteria doors swung open and Wilkins arrived, together with Faith, Jonathan and an entourage of six vampires. "Budget meeting for the new childcare centre ran late, you know how bureaucrats like to chat."  
  
"Why bother?" Xander asked, his casual tone hiding his relief at the Mayor's arrival and Jonathan's apparent good health. "After all you're going to eat all the kiddies."  
  
"True," Wilkins' smile didn't reach his eyes. "But look on the bright side Mr. Harris. Think of how much lower taxes will be next year, what with the lessening in day-care demands."  
  
"That Reganeconmics?" Angel muttered.  
  
"Yes very amusing," Wilkins laughed. "As you know I'm a family man." The Mayor cast Faith a fond look. "Now, the exchange."  
  
Angel stepped forward, box in hand. Faith did the same, her arm around Jonathan's neck. And suddenly the doors swung open. Xander groaned, Snyder together with two policemen. "Look what we have here," the principal sneered. "The usual suspects, creating trouble." Snyder turned his attention to Angel. "I don't know which one of these floozies you're with mister but you're trespassing. Give me that box."  
  
"Why," the vampire's tone was redolent with menace. "Don't you take it?" He laughed as the two policemen began unholstering their guns.  
  
"Angel," Giles' tone was strained. "There are those without your advantages."  
  
At the Watcher's words the vampire relaxed. "Okay."  
  
After snatching the box from Angel, Snyder passed the box to one of the policeman. "Open that for me."  
  
"NO!" the Mayor bellowed from the shadows he'd slid into at Snyder's entry.  
  
Too late. Xander's eyes widened as a spider the size of a large hand leapt onto the policeman's face, tearing it off in an instance before leaping onto the next victim, the Mayor who knocked it off with contemptuous ease, his face healing in a second. Faith dived for the box just as another spider escaped. Cursing, the brunette slammed the box shut just as Buffy's dagger flew through the air impaling the spider as it made to leap for Faith's face. At the same instant Kendra spun round and threw her knife through the first spider as it readied itself to drop from the ceiling onto Wesley.  
  
"Mr. Mayor," Snyder practically kissed the politician's feet. Xander supposed it made a change from kissing his ass. "I'm sorry I didn't know- ."  
  
"No problem Principal," Wilkins smiled. "Just make sure this stays between us, okay?" The politician's smile widened at Snyder's nod. "Good man. Faith, we're leaving." After a last longing glance at Jonathan, Faith followed the Mayor and the vampires out of the room.  
  
"As for you," Snyder turned towards them, his composure returning. "I should have know you'd all be involved in dru-."  
  
"Oh bloody shut up you pillock," Giles growled. In an instance Snyder's mouth clamped shut. Xander chuckled nervously, well at least the evening had a good ending.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander glanced across at a miserable-looking Jonathan. Motioning to the smaller youth he led them away from the two Englishman excitedly discussing the pages of the Books Jonathan had smuggled out of city hall and to the counter of the coffee shop they'd brought the meeting to. "How was she?"  
  
Jonathan's face was strained. "She was okay Xander. But there's a ton of vampires there. If she gets found out she's got no chance."  
  
"Then we'll have to make sure that doesn't happen." 


	18. 13

Three Slayers 13  
  
The youth shoved a tape into his video before moving his television a few inches for his pet to see it. Satisfied that the TV was angled right he pressed the play on the remote control. Instantly the beast began to howl and slaver, its eyes bulging as is strained to escape its restraining cage. "Soon," he muttered a slight smile on his face. "Soon."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander's eyes narrowed as he entered the Bronze. The place was jumping, filled with wildly writhing and gyrating bodies packed onto the dance floor. Seeing his friend sat in a booth at the back, his head bowed in contemplation, he hurried over. "What's up Johnny?"  
  
His friend turned towards him. "Nothing."  
  
"Nothing?" Xander raised a sceptical eyebrow. "You sure look miserable for nothing."  
  
"Just leave it."  
  
The youth made to walk past him but he blocked his path and shook his head. "No," he replied. "I won't leave it."  
  
Jonathan looked up at his set face and sighed. "Fine, you want to know what's up? It's the prom in a few days and my girl-friend's-."  
  
Xander felt a surge of rage. "You're worried about the prom when Faith's risking her fucking life? Jesus, John!"  
  
"No," his friend shook his head vigorously. "That's not it at all. Well that's part of it I suppose. I mean I spent my entire life as a dateless dork and then bang, I end up with the best-looking babe in the school-."  
  
"Second."  
  
"Whatever," Jonathan tried for a half-smile. "But the point is she's not going to be there for the prom." Jonathan's face fell. "What other things isn't she going to be there for? Even if she gets through this secret agent deal... God, I'm so scared for her."  
  
Ah, Xander nodded in understanding. That was it, dating a Slayer was hell on a guy's nerves. Xander motioned towards the booth. "Sit down." After a second his companion obeyed, Xander sat in the seat opposite. "The Prom," he shrugged. "The Prom's one night, an important night sure, but you're gonna have plenty of others together. We've got this sewn up tight, only people we can trust are in the loop, Faith won't slip up, her cover's fine. Everything gonna be," Xander grinned. "Five by five, right?"  
  
After a second Jonathan nodded. "Right."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander whistled to himself as he hurried through Sunnydale's major shopping mall, his gaze darting left and right as he looked for the surprise he wanted to get Kendra for being his prom date. He chuckled as he remembered Giles' pained expression when the Englishman had realised that his part in Xander's plan meant that he'd have to act as a decoy by informing Kendra that her technique was looking sloppy and she'd have to have an extra training session. Oh, the bruises.  
  
His brow furrowed as he noted somebody examining a dress in April Fools. "Well even on the weekend I need my fix of Cordy-abuse. Guess I'm just kinky that way." A grin on his face he pushed the shop door open. "Cordy, always a pleasure.  
  
The cheerleader looked up, an almost frightened look on her face. "Xander, cross-dressing now?" she snapped.  
  
Stranger and stranger, Xander mused, that insult definitely lacked her usual venom. "That your prom dress Cordy?" he shot back with a grin. "Because you should carry it off no problem, definitely screams upper-class slut."  
  
"Is this a customer or a friend?"  
  
Xander turned to see an imperious looking salesgirl looking at him. Xander hid a smirk, he wondered if Cordy had taught her that look. "Neither. Just stopped by for my daily helping of bile. It's sort of a Harris-Chase tradition."  
  
The salesgirl glared at him before turning her attention to an unusually quiet Cordelia. "You better get back to work and quit goofing. Mrs. Finkel so has it in for you." Her warning delivered, the salesgirl stalked off, nose held firmly in the air.  
  
Xander looked from the middle-aged woman by the counter to a downcast Cordelia. This didn't make any sense. "You work here?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, I work here."  
  
"But, uh, why?"  
  
"I'm trying to buy a dress," Cordelia muttered.  
  
"But don't you already have all the dresses?" Xander was growing increasingly bemused.  
  
"I have nothing, okay? No dresses. No cell phone. No car. Everything's been taken away because Daddy made a little mistake on his taxes. For the last twelve years. Satisfied? Are you a happy Xander now? I'm broke. I can't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. And I can't stay home because we no longer have one."  
  
"Uh, wow." Seeing Cordelia like this, surrounded by an aura of hurt and with tears in her eyes didn't have the appeal it would have had a few years. He wanted to hug her, tell her things would be alright. But he and Cordelia didn't do hugs.  
  
"Yeah, neato. Now you can run along and tell all of your friends how Cordy finally got hers. How she has to work part time just to get a lousy prom dress on layaway. And how she has to wear a name tag. Oh, I'm a name tag person. Don't leave that out. The story just wouldn't have the same punch."  
  
"Cordy, I'm-." He spun round at the sound of the shop front window shattering and a furry beast on four legs barrelling towards them, salvia dripping from its gaping mouth. "Get down!" Xander shoulder-charged the monster out of harm's way before leaping towards the creature. "Slayers are like policemen!" he grunted as he grabbed hold of the monster around its heavily muscled neck, attempting to keep its gnashing teeth from his face and throat, even as its claws ripped at him. "There's never one around when you -." Suddenly his legs gave way knocking him to the floor, the creature on top of him.  
  
Just as the monster was about to savage him Cordy brought a steel yardstick down across its snout. The monster let out a howl before turning its baleful eyes on the cheerleader. "Nice doggy."  
  
Even laid Xander was unable to prevent a giggle from escaping. Nice doggy? Pure Cordy. Suddenly the beast leapt off him and charged not at Cordy but at a tuxedoed youth at the back of the shop. Groaning at the effort, Xander struggled to his feet, helped by the shaking cheerleader. "Thanks Cordy," he muttered.  
  
"No problem Dweeb Boy," his companion whispered, her voice shaking and her usually healthily-tanned skin a sickly grey. "Any idea how we beat this crea-."  
  
The Queen of Sunnydale High's voice trailed off when the beast turned its gaze on them. Suddenly it let out a roar and bounded past them, and out of the window. Xander sighed with relief. "Shopping really can be murder eh?"  
  
"Do you think we need to tell Buffy?"  
  
"Well duh," Xander thought of something and passed the cheerleader his keys. "You go get the car, I'll get the video tape." He waited until the cheerleader had disappeared out of the shop before approaching the store's shocked manager. "How much does Cordelia owe on that dress?"  
  
* * *  
  
"But you're alright?"  
  
Xander rolled his eyes at Kendra's fussing. "I'm great, a few bruises but nothing major. Let's watch the tape." After a second inspecting him, his girlfriend nodded. "See," Xander pointed at the tape. "That's where things went weird."  
  
"Xander, hellmouth remember?"  
  
Xander nodded at Buffy's remark. "Yeah, but still. I've attacked it, Cordy's attacked it but it goes for a guy cowering at the back of the shop."  
  
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a hellhound." Wesley commented.  
  
"Yes." Giles agreed. "It's particularly vicious. It's sort of a demon foot soldier bred during the Machash Wars. Trained solely to kill. They feed off the brains of their foes."  
  
"Lovely," Xander muttered. Why couldn't there be any nice demons, the sort that were built like Pamela Anderson and wanted to make teenage boys their sex slaves?  
  
Wesley turned to Cordy. "And what pray tell were you doing this afternoon?"  
  
"What? Um, I was... "  
  
Xander dived in to the rescue. "You know what's she's like. Burning a hole in daddy's wallet, as usual. I just bumped into her during my tuxedo hunt." He smiled at Cordy's grateful half-glance.  
  
"Right, these things eat brains right?" Buffy asked. At Giles' nod the blonde continued. "How's this for a plan. Giles, you and," Buffy cast the younger of the two Watchers a distrusting glance "Wes come with me to Willy's to see if he's got any information."  
  
"Oh splendid," Giles beamed. "I always enjoy giving that odious little berk a good hiding." Everyone stared at the older Watcher for a second. He shrugged. "I spar with Slayers and fight with demons, it's nice to de dishing out the punishment for a change."  
  
"Okay," Buffy shook her head before turning to him and Kendra. "You two go to the local butchers and meat plants, see if anybody's been buying brains."  
  
"What about us?"  
  
Buffy nodded at Willow's question. "Will, you, Jonathan, and Oz go to the magic shop and see if anyone's been in, buying supplies to raise a hellhound."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander wrinkled at the stench in the meat processing plant, the smell of blood in this place must be enough to drive vampires wild. Shaking his head he continued to walk down a row of hanging carcasses, Kendra standing at the other side of a guy in a white coat and a hard hat. Finally the man nodded and turned to Kendra. "Yeah, yeah. This kid orders cow brains a couple of times a week. Goes to this address," the man passed his girl- friend a grease-stained note. "Good luck. He's a weird kid."  
  
Kendra beamed. "Thanks. Thanks a lot." Her expression turned serious as she looked at him. "Shall we?"  
  
He nodded. "Let's."  
  
* * *  
  
Cordelia sighed in defeat, her chin held determinedly high as she strode towards the dress shop exit. She was Cordelia Chase she reminded herself, she didn't, wouldn't, cry. So what if her father had ruined-. "Hey! Don't forget your dress. Aren't you wearing it tonight?"  
  
Cordelia turned to her fellow shop assistant . "As much as I hate to admit it, I haven't finished paying for it yet."  
  
The other sales girl grinned at her. "Well somebody did. The hero from earlier on."  
  
Cordelia's mouth dropped open. "Harris?"  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you sure this is the right house?" Xander muttered as he watched his girlfriend casually break into the house.  
  
"It better be, otherwise you'll be doing hard time for breaking and entry."  
  
"Why only me?"  
  
Kendra grinned. "At my speed they'll never catch me."  
  
"You'd leave me?"  
  
"I'm young, gorgeous, with Faith's help I'll soon get a new boytoy." Kendra chuckled before kissing him lightly on the lips. Her face turned grim. "Got the weapons?"  
  
"I'm all equipped."  
  
Kendra nodded before looking around. "Basement?"  
  
"That's usual."  
  
Within a couple of minutes they were creeping down the steps to find a male teen, maybe a couple of years their senior, about to release a caged hellhound. "You're ready to go."  
  
"Sorry, new plan." Kendra blurred across the basement floor to grab hold of the youth and throw him away from the cage. "The prom's a go and you're pathetic."  
  
To Xander's surprise, the older teen smirked. "Maybe. Maybe not." Suddenly the young man grabbed a vase and broke it over Kendra's head - she brushed the shards off her jacket as the man brandished a screwdriver at the dark-skinned warrior, Kendra's eyes widened as she noticed something towards the back of the room. "That's how you did it? By getting them to watch teen slasher movies? That's how you brainwashed the hounds to go psycho on prom?"  
  
"Neat, huh?"  
  
Kendra shook her head. "I don't get it. What kind of sicko wants to destroy the happiest night of a senior's life?"  
  
"I have my reasons."  
  
"Whatever." Lunging forward Kendra grabbed the hand brandishing the screwdriver and drove it down on her knee. The man squawked as his weapon clattered to the floor. Instantly Kendra pushed the man face-first against the wall and tied his hands behind his back before opening a door and pushing him through. "Now I'm gonna lock you in here and then I'm gonna party like it's ..."  
  
"Kendra," Xander noticed three empty cages.  
  
"Gotta have a redundancy system," the madman gloated. "Any incompetent knows that. My three fiercest babies are on their way to the dance right now. You think formal wear makes them crazy, wait 'til they see the mirror ball."  
  
Xander swallowed. Kendra looked at him. "Oh no," she croaked.  
  
* * *  
  
Buffy walked over to Giles, lowering her voice so not to be overheard by the chattering party-goers around them. "Any sign of them?" Willy had come up blank even with Giles holding a broken bottle to his eye, a rather disturbing image that would doubtless stay with her for some considerable time.  
  
"No," Giles looked as worried as she felt.  
  
"And we haven't got a clue where they are?" Angel interrupted as the vampire glanced around the filling dancehall.  
  
"We'll just have to trust Kendra and Xander are capable of dealing with whatever's out there." "Yeah," Buffy agreed even as she checked the knife strapped to her thigh. And if they didn't it would be down to her and Angel.  
  
* * *  
  
Xander's car pulled to a halt outside the school. Kendra was out of the car even as the vehicle's screeches were still echoing in her ears. Seeing the trio of hellhounds loping towards the building she drew her crossbow and dropped the one in the lead with a bolt. In an instant, the other two turned towards her, their eyes glowing in the dark. "Xander stay in the car!" she ordered as the remaining beasts charged her .  
  
The two remaining hellhounds charged her. Kendra readied herself. "That's right come to Kendra," realising she didn't have time to re-load her crossbow she threw it aside and drew a dagger. "Kendra's got a nice surprise for you both."  
  
The first hellhound launched itself into the air at her, her dagger flashed up to meet it in mid-flight, ripping through its right haunch. The hellhound howled in agony, but continued on it s trajectory, knocking her to the ground. Ignoring the pain caused by the impact she grabbed the beast and forced its snapping jaws away from her even as she wrapped her thighs around it and squeezed, snapping ribs, and plunged her dagger repeatedly into the monster.  
  
Finally it was dead. Flinging it aside, she rolled onto her knees as the other monster leapt at her only to be hit in mid-air by Xander's speeding car. The monster hit the ground, bounced, and struggled to its feet. And was hit by the car again, Kendra winced as this time its skull was crushed under the back wheel. After a second, the door opened and Xander looked out . "Let's get into the prom."  
  
Kendra looked down at her muddy clothes. "I'm not dressed."  
  
"So?" Xander winked. "I'll still have the best looking date in the entire hall. You coming?"  
  
Kendra grinned, she was so lucky. "Coming," she agreed. "I thought I told you to stay out of the way," she rebuked softly. She couldn't bear it if he got hurt protecting her.  
  
"No you didn't," her boyfriend corrected. "You told me to stay in the car which technically I did."  
  
"You're an idiot."  
  
"True but," Xander grinned. "You also forgot dashing, ruggedly handsome, and fantastically witty."  
  
"No, no I didn't. It's part of the Slayer Code," she replied.  
  
"What is?" Xander asked, his face puzzled.  
  
"Never to lie."  
  
"Ouch," her boyfriend winced. "No smooches for you tonight."  
  
Kendra snorted. "Like you could ever resist. You're more likely to turn down a Twinkie than me."  
  
Xander laughed. "True. God I'm pathetic."  
  
"Yeah, but that's the way I like you." 


	19. 14a

Three Slayers 14A  
  
"Have you heard the news?" Xander flew into the library, the news he'd overheard at the water fountain chilling him to the bone. "Guess who's commencement speaker on graduation day? The Mayor! Dad said I'd never graduate," he dropped into a chair by the desk before looking around his friends. "And for once the bum was right. We are so screwed!"  
  
Xander's blood chilled at the disapproving voice he heard entering the library doors behind him. "That's what's wrong with America today, no respect for parents or the family."  
  
* * *  
  
The Mayor beamed at his shocked audience. After savouring their surprise for a few seconds, he spoke. "So, this is the inner sanctum. Faith tells me this is where you folks like to hang out, concoct your little schemes." He noticed the texts cluttering the desk. "I tell you, it's just nice to see that some young people are still interested in reading in this modern era. So, what are kids reading nowadays?"  
  
Still smiling, he walked to the table and picked up a book. He was pleased when the older Watcher stood his ground and didn't flinch, although the younger Englishman kept his distance. An important man should always have significant enemies – it made things more interesting. "The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction." Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together. If you think of it like that, it makes me sound like a regular Martin Luther, a great leader bringing people together."  
  
"You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?"the blonde Slayer commented sarcastically.  
  
Wilkins tutted and shook his head before smiling at Giles. "That's one spunky little girl you've raised there Mr Watcher. I'm gonna eat her and I just bet she tastes as good as my dear departed wife's Sunday roast." Suddenly the Watcher snatched up an epee from the table and thrust it through his chest. Surprised by the attack, he stumbled backwards only to quickly regain his balance. "Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless." He smiled at their collective shocked gasp as he pulled the sword out of his chest, shaking his head at the tear in his suit. He comforted himself with the thought it wasn't like he'd have much use for clothes soon. "Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave. A well-bred Englishman like you should know better."  
  
"Get out," the mocha-skinned Slayer stepped between him and the defiant Englishman. "Now."  
  
Ignoring the threat in the young girl's eyes, he took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the sword before casually tossing it back onto the table. "I smell fear. That's smart, it won't help but it's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything, painful but quick. Some of you," he looked at both Slayers and was impressed when neither flinched, they'd been trained well, good stock too . "Will die slowly. Well, see you all at graduation. You don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech, a real killer."  
  
"You know what I'm thinking?" the Mayor looked down at the Harris boy, his smile faltering at the cold look in the youth's eyes. "I'm thinking that maybe you're invulnerable, but.." The young man smiled cruelly, suddenly Wilkins realised the teen had the eyes of a much older man. "What would happen if me and the girls turned up at your place one night, kidnapped you, locked you in the back of an armoured vault, drove it into a mine, and blew the damn place up behind us? I'm guessing your invincibility wouldn't mean shit then. Just a theory."  
  
Wilkins forced a smile. "I've always admired initiative in the young, gives an old fuddy-duddy like myself hope for the future," his smile broadened, this time unfeigned. "Not that any of you have a future." His smile faded as he strode away from the library, that Harris boy was rather more formidable than he suspected. He'd been concentrating his attention on the supernatural warriors and the knowledgeable Watchers as his main dangers. Obviously he'd made a rare tactical error. Ah well, he'd have to correct it. And he knew just the girl to do it.  
  
* * *  
  
"You want me to kill Xman?" Faith swallowed, this was getting way out of hand. "But he's nothing, just a loser geek. He's not worth the energy."  
  
"Ah, young Mr. Harris is rather more than that," the politician corrected. "There's something in his eyes that I found quite unsettling. He could be quite a threat if left alone." Faith masked her concern with a non- committal nod, noting that her employer was hiding his own disquiet behind his usual affable mask but something Xan had either said or done had seriously freaked him. Fucking typical, her bud just couldn't keep out of trouble. "However, there is something even more urgent." The middle-aged man reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of liquid. "I want Ms. Summers and her vampire taking out of the game."  
  
"Yeah," Faith shifted uneasily. This was getting heavy. "And what does the mojo do? Hope it really makes that uppity bitch suffer."  
  
The Mayor beamed. "A willingness to learn, the first sign of a fertile mind. But remember Faithie," she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when the Mayor waggled a finger at her. "Language, you're a lady now."  
  
* * * "The liquid's called 'Killer of the Dead', even a flesh wound and the vamp's toast, like dead." Xander nodded as he took the slight sample Faith had given her. His friend continued to talk. "Wilkins wants -. Oh fuck!"  
  
"What's up?" he glanced in the direction the Slayer was moving but couldn't see anything. "Wait up!"  
  
"Two vamps!" the Slayer bellowed before disappearing into the surrounding darkness.  
  
"Shit!" Cursing, he chased after his friend, running around a corner to find her fighting a pair of shell-suited vamps.  
  
* * *  
  
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Faith was terrified, more frightened than she could remember, more scared even than when her and Kendra had accidentally killed Finch. She'd seen what the Mayor had done to vamps who failed him by just screwing up, her skin crawled at the thought of what the bastard would do to a traitor, especially the one he referred to as 'his little girl'.  
  
Leaping into the air, she grabbed the vampire in front around the neck and drove him headfirst into the hard concrete. Leaping up, she twisted round to meet the second vampire, catching a haymaker to the jaw for her trouble. Dazed, she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent her foot being grabbed by the vampire she'd just put down. The vampire pulled on her foot, sending her crashing down to the ground, the back of her head smacking on the cobblestones, dazing her.  
  
Above her she could hear snatches of the vampires talking even as they began kicking and stomping her, every blow reverberating through her limbs and body. "Who'd have thought it, Wilkins' little girl a traitor?" The remark was emphasised by a vision-blurring kick to the kick. "We'll get a big reward for this. Maybe get to do her."  
  
"Never killed a Slayer before," a mule-like kick sent blood flying from her mouth to splatter the alley wall.  
  
"Wasn't thinking of killing her, try turning her," the other replied with a chuckle, his foot coming down hard on her left arm. "Then she'd be ours forever."  
  
"Not fucking likely."  
  
Faith's heart leapt at the sound of Xander's voice. Seizing the chance given to her by the two vampires instinctively turning towards the new threat, and ignoring the pain coursing through her body, Faith bounded to her feet and hit one of the vampires with a leg sweep, knocking him to the ground. The other began to turn towards her but she simply snatched hold of his ponytail and drove him face-first into the wall. Smirking slightly at the sound of crunching bone and the vampire's accompanying scream, Faith pulled out a stake and slammed through the demon's back. Sensing the other rising behind he, she launched an elbow backwards, crashing into her adversary's nose, splintering bone, before leaping into a flawless, Olympic-standard, back-flip over her adversary's head to land behind him and shove her stake towards his back.  
  
Unfortunately the vampire managed to twist away from her attack and slam a right hook into her nose, breaking it at the bridge. Next he drove a knee into her already battered stomach, tears blurring her vision she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent the vampire grabbing her around the neck, cutting off her breath. "You bitch! You killed my brother-."  
  
Suddenly the stranglehold disappeared. Faith snarled as she saw the vampire fling Xander into the wall, and her friend slide down the wall. Leaping forward she caught her adversary with a trio of lightning right hooks shattering the left side of its face. Seeing her chance she plunged her stake towards the vampire's heart only to be grabbed at the wrist. The vampire smirked. "Not this time, Sla-, arh!"  
  
Faith's foot snapped up into the vampire's groin. "Don't count your arteries," the vampire released her wrist giving her the chance to drive her stake into his heart. "Before they're bleeding."  
  
The instant the vampire exploded into dust, Faith's legs buckled beneath her, sending her plummeting forward. She was inches from the ground when Xander caught her. "Are you okay Faith?"  
  
Faith forced a grin, hating the way her jaw ached at the movement. "Five by five Xman," she replied as her friend eased her back to her feet. "Just been dying to fall for you for weeks."  
  
"Funny girl," Xander's chocolate-brown eyes filled with concern. God she loved it when the gang looked at her like that, she was finally part of something, she had people who didn't think she was a worthless bitch like her mom had always said she was. "Are you okay?" he repeated.  
  
"Five by five," she lied. In truth she felt like crap, her right shoulder was dislocated again, her entire torso was aching, she was going to have one hell of a black eye, and she felt like her nose and maybe jaw were broken. But she'd be mostly healed in the morning. "I better get back, Wilkins might get suspicious."  
  
"Wait."  
  
She cursed as Xander grabbed her right shoulder and pain shot through the battered joint. "Fuck Xand!" She spun round to face her friend, her eyes spitting black fire. "That fucking hurt!"  
  
Her companion stepped back, a nervous expression on his face. "Uh sorry, but you hadn't finished your report."  
  
"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Just don't touch me okay? You've got a talent for pissing people off you know. The Mayor wants me to kill you. "  
  
"It's good to be appreciated," Xander grinned before turning serious. "So what's happening?" Xander listened to her talk. Finally she'd finished and turned to leave. "Wait! You can't go back!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Vamps remember?" Xander pointed at the dustpiles. "The Mayor was having you trailed he must be suspicious."  
  
Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, Faith shrugged. "They came, saw, and got their asses staked. Wilkins isn't suspicious, I've got him wrapped around my little finger, he hates me going off on my own, probably sent them to make sure I didn't get into any trouble."  
  
"And what if there were more of them?" her companion countered.  
  
"There wasn't, I know the two assholes, they're the Mulligan brothers, two bros who were turned in the 1840s, during the California Gold Rush, they always work alone."  
  
Xander looked doubtful. "That's awful risky."  
  
That was a fucking understatement. Ignoring her own misgivings she shook her head. "We still don't know what Wilkins' got planned for graduation remember?"  
  
"And how you're going to explain your bruises?" her friend pressed  
  
"I'll tell them I ran into some independents, took a beating." Faith nodded at the two dustpiles. "My problem is explaining them not returning."  
  
Xander sighed. "I know what we can do. One of the bugs is in the library right?" she nodded, her companion grimaced. "Hit me." 


	20. 14b

Three Slayers 14b  
  
"Xander!" upon his limping entry to the library, Kendra hurried over to him. "What happened?"  
  
He toyed with the idea saying he'd run into a PMT Slayer before forcing a smile. "I ran into a couple of brother vampires, wearing shell suits for god's sake," he smiled gratefully at Buffy as she threw the bags off the couch leaving him room to lie down. "They were having so much fun hitting me they forgot I had a stake." Faith said she'd pulled her punches but that girl had anvils for fists.  
  
"You got them both?"  
  
He smiled at the blonde. "Sorry Buff, no blood vendetta this time. They're dead." God he hoped Faith was alright.  
  
* * *  
  
"Good lord Faithie!" the Mayor stood, a look of distress on his face as he hurried over and helped her to the office couch. "Are you alright?  
  
Wilkins was wicked weird. He was an evil bastard no doubt about it, she'd seen the evidence of the things he'd done, the deals he'd made, and yet he really seemed to give a shit about her. Did that mean that at her core she was evil too? Shaking away her fears, Faith replied. "Ran into a gang of vamps talking about how they reckoned this town was open for the taking. I showed them they were wrong."  
  
"Faith," the Mayor scolded as he wiped at her bottom lip with a tissue. It was odd, kind of reminded her of G looking after her. "You shouldn't take risks, I ascend in a few days. Then nobody will doubt who runs this town." The politician shook his head. "I appreciate your enthusiasm but this won't do, oh not at all. Learn some patience. Remember haste makes waste. You'll have to stay in the next couple of nights. No, no arguments missy, we'll get some videos – have you seen 'High Noon'? Now, I'll get you some milk and cookies, that'll fix you right up."  
  
Faith grinned. Better and better, the Mayor's insistence that she rested gave the others more time to come up with a plan. Her smile faltered, she just hoped it was a good one.  
  
* * *  
  
"What really happened Xander?" Giles asked as he eased the youth into the car, he'd sensed the male Scooby had been lying for the illicit recorders in the library. "Who beat you up?" Whoever it was had done a bloody good job, Xander's bottom lip looked like it had been introduced to a meat grinder, his right eye was hideously swollen, and he was moving like a sodding pensioner, wincing at every turn or twist.  
  
"Faith did."  
  
"What!"  
  
The young man grinned. "Relax G-Man."  
  
He listened to the young man's explanation with growing amazement. Once the male Scooby had finished, he exploded. "You bloody berk! You actually asked a Slayer to hit you?"  
  
"I do love him for his personality and not his brains Giles."  
  
"Thanks Kendra, your support's welcome," the youth let out a weary sigh. "It was the best of some extremely bad choices, if Faith wasn't so pig- headed about going back undercover..." The teen's voice trailed off as he slowly turned his head to Kendra. "How about you and me go out and do something tomorrow night?" the Slayer beamed at the teen and nodded "We can leave G-Man, Jonathan, and Wes to research the drug Wilkins gave Faith and have some fun. I've got an idea how to deal with graduation."  
  
Giles shuddered. It was frightening when Xander came up with a plan, especially so as his plans were usually the best of a very bad bunch.  
  
* * *  
  
"Have some fun?" Kendra glared at her boyfriend. Of all the dates he'd taken her on, this was the most unbelievable. And that included the time they'd crashed a necromancer's welcome home party for his deceased wife. "I'm not helping you break into a military base!"  
  
"Your trouble is you need to loosen up," Xander retorted. "Cordy really enjoyed it when we broke into the compound."  
  
"You told me about that!" Kendra snarled. "I'm not acting as bait."  
  
"Wouldn't work anyway."  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Her boyfriend swallowed loudly. "That didn't come out how I meant. I meant that Cordy was in more revealing clothes."  
  
"You mean dressed like a hooker?"  
  
"Well I liked it."  
  
"I just bet you did," Kendra glared at her boyfriend. "I could tempt ten times the men Cordelia could."  
  
"That mean we're going in?"  
  
Too late she realised she'd been tricked into a corner. "All right, but you owe me dinner."  
  
* * *  
  
Xander grinned as his girlfriend clambered, cat-like, over the wire mesh fence. "I thought I might." Once she was on top of the fence, Kendra threw a rope down to him. Gritting his teeth against the pain coursing through his body, he struggled up the barricade.  
  
"Where's the armoury?"  
  
"Follow me Grasshopper." Ignoring his girlfriend's vaguely threatening mutterings, he hurried through the darkness only to stop when his companion put a hand on his chest. "What's up?"  
  
"Someone out there," Kendra muttered. "Wait here."  
  
Xander opened his mouth to protest but the Slayer had already melted into the darkness. The seconds seemed to stretch off into forever and a sheen of sweat appeared, drenching his forehead as he imagined all manner of terrible things happening to his girlfriend. He hadn't heard any shots but she could have run into a demon or a master vampire...Just as he was about to rush off in search of Kendra, she reappeared carrying an unconscious guard over a slender shoulder. "See that's the difference between Slayers and normal girls, Cordelia dazzled the guard with a smile and a bit of cleavage, you bludgeon him into unconsciousness with your fists."  
  
"You saying I'm not normal Xander?"  
  
"Moving on," Xander coughed at the dangerous gleam in his girlfriend's smouldering black eyes. Oh yeah, he was definitely looking into a muzzle for himself, anything to keep his mouth from getting him into trouble. "Shall I help you tie him up?"  
  
* * *  
  
"Got it Mr. Giles!"  
  
Giles beamed, the three of them had been researching in Wes' apartment, hardly ideal but his fellow Watcher had plenty of the most important texts and according to Faith, Wes' rooms, unlike the Library, Buffy's home, and his own home, were not bugged. "And what does it say Jonathan?" His heart dropped at the drawn look on the youth's face. "It says the poison can only be counteracted by the blood of a Slayer."  
  
"Oh bollocks," Giles muttered this was bad, very bad.  
  
"What's the problem guys?" he turned to see a grinning and heavily laden Xander stood beside Kendra in the apartment's doorway. "We've got three. I mean it's not like we can't spare - ouch!" the teen winced when his girlfriend kicked him in the shin.  
  
Kendra's kick saved Xander from a well-earned tongue-lashing from him but not his glare. "I trust," he said icily. "You have a plan?"  
  
"I love it when a plan comes together." Xander grinned, apparently unaffected by all the stares he was getting. "Always wanted to say that."  
  
Giles shook his head in disbelief. He just knew he wasn't going to like this. "What is it then?" Ten minutes later he realised he was wrong, he hated it. "Are you a complete blithering idiot?"  
  
"Hey I come from good -, alright really stupid stock," Xander protested. "But think of the advantages?"  
  
Wesley sighed. "He has a point Rupert, there are tremendous risks, but if everything goes right...."  
  
"Big if," finally Giles nodded. "Very well."  
  
* * *  
  
Faith's heart pounded as she raised her bow and sighted it on the handsome figure walking down Sunnydale's main street. It had been three days since she'd slain the Mulligans and this was the first time she'd got some action. "Fuck," she muttered, unmindful of the trio of watching vampires lurking behind her. "I hope this works." Finally satisfied she had the target locked she smoothly pulled the bowstring, unleashing her arrow.  
  
The bolt flew gracefully through the cool night air, gaining speed with every second as it hurtled downwards. Faith smiled in satisfaction at a job well when the bolt slammed into the rugged man's shoulder, showering his blonde companion with blood, and sending him tumbling to his knees. Seeing B glaring up at her, Faith waved and blew a kiss before turning to her companions. "Let's hit the road boys, there's one pissed off Slayer down there."  
  
"You were meant to kill him!" snarled the oldest of the three vampires.  
  
"I wanted him to suffer first. Nobody turns me down," suddenly her right hand lunged forward, grabbing her questioner around the throat, even as her left flew into the back of her quiver and drew an arrow. A vicious grin on her face, she thrust the arrow into the demon's heart before turning to his companions. "And lives. So," Faith cocked her head to one side, raised an inquiring eyebrow, and looked at the two remaining vampires. "Any other questions?" The demons shook their heads, Faith grinned. "I just knew you guys weren't as dumb as you looked." 


	21. 14c

Three Slayers 14C  
  
Faith sauntered into the Mayor's office, her casualness making her anxiety. "It's done boss, Fang's toast."  
  
"Not quite," the Mayor's expression was unreadable. "I understand you merely winged Angel."  
  
"Well yeah," Faith admitted. This was the tricky part, if Wilkins didn't like her explanation she was dead meat. "Thing is I figured, the poison still works not matter how bad the wound right?" After a second, the black arts mage nodded. "Then I figured," she began to pace the floor before the century old man's desk. "I kill Fang straight off with one blow, what happens? B gets pissed, real pissed, and comes straight after me. If she has to watch the bastard die slowly, painfully," Faith hid her fear behind a smirk, god he had to buy this. "Then her spirit will be crushed, for a few days at least. And then you'll be all ascended and game over."  
  
For a long second Wilkins sat in his leather chair, staring at her. Then, just as she was about to dive out of the second floor window, a beaming smile cracked the politician's inscrutable mask. "Why you're just the complete package aren't you?" the public servant commented as he stood and made his way around the desk to stand before her. "Looks, brains, and spirit." To her surprise, Faith felt a faint stirring of pride at the man's compliment. Suddenly her face exploded in pain as the Mayor backhanded her across the mouth, knocking her back a step. "But next time I give an order, I expect you to follow it to the letter. I can't show favouritism, not even to you, understand?"  
  
Faith dabbed gingerly at her bloodied lip. "I understand," she replied dutifully, ignoring the searing urge to launch a futile attack. The injury would heal in a minute or two but the memory of it would remain. The last guy to hit her ended up with his face splattered against the wall of a Boston alley. Wilkins was going to get worse, much worse.  
  
"Good girl, now how about some ice-cream?"  
  
* * *  
  
"Help me!" Buffy screamed as she kicked open the mansion doors, her panic not completely faked. In an instance, the others, called by her frenzied phone call, sprang up.  
  
"What's up!" exclaimed Willow.  
  
"Faith shot Angel with some sort of arrow," she sobbed. "It missed his heart but did something weird -."  
  
"Buffy," her head snapped towards a fraught-looking Giles. They all had so much riding on Xander's plan. "Take him through into his bed room, Kendra you help Buffy with Angel." The Watcher turned to the others. "No, you wait here, in case Faith's followed Buffy to finish off the job."  
  
Once in the back room, Buffy placed her boyfriend's wildly convulsing body down on the bed. Kendra helped her hold him down as Giles hurried through into the kitchen and returned carrying the six pints of blood her, Kendra, and Faith had all given in the past twenty-four hours. "Hold his mouth open while I feed him," the Englishman instructed urgently. For a second she just gazed at her boyfriend, shocked beyond measure at what Faith had done. "Buffy!"  
  
"Oh sorry," immediately she bent over and grabbed Angel's lower jaw, forcing it open while Xander and Kendra restrained his writhing body. After nodding at her, her Watcher and surrogate father began pouring into her boyfriend's mouth. One bag gone, no change. Two, still nothing. Three, the same. Four, the flickering of something in her love's eyes or was it just wistful thinking? Five, Buffy's heart leapt as some semblance of intelligence returned to her boyfriend's eyes. After the sixth, he managed to pull himself upright. "You're alright!" she shrieked before grabbing Angel around the neck.  
  
"Thanks to your blood and Xander's plan," her boyfriend nodded at Xander before turning back to her. "Do your stuff Buff."  
  
Nodding slowly, she made her way downstairs. After taking a breath, she shoved the door open. "A...angel's dead," the words spoken, she stumbled forward into Wesley's waiting arms. After turning from the others to give the younger Watcher a quick wink, she turned back to her friends. "The poison killed him."  
  
* * *  
  
"You want me to kill this guy Worth, why boss?" Faith's heart was pounding, murder, this was the big leagues, there was no way she could get to Xander and get a new plan, she knew from last night's report that Xander's plan for rescuing Angel had worked. But this time she was on her own.  
  
"He is a paleontologist dear."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"He researches dinosaurs and worked on a dig where he believes he found the remains of a new breed of dinosaur. However, this dinosaur was in fact an ascended demon. If the papers fell into the hands of your former companions...."  
  
"Five by five," Faith nodded, she had the beginnings of a plan. "I'll get right on it. Tell me more boss, I'll need to pick up those papers while I'm there."  
  
* * *  
  
A knock sounded on the door inside the old-fashionally furnished apartment. Lester Worth looked up in surprise, circumstances and nature had made him a solitary man, he was unused to visitors after college hours. After a second he hurried over to the door and opened it..  
  
For a moment he just stared at the jaw-dropping beauty stood leaning against the door, smirking slightly. Then remembering his manners, he found his voice. "Hello," he said shyly. He was well aware of his own lack of looks and was more comfortable with his books and own company.  
  
The girl's smile widened. "Hi, I'm looking for Professor Worth."  
  
"Oh, well, that's me, but I should ask you to come back during office hours. Students generally make an appointment."  
  
The girl stode, uninvited, into his apartment. "I'm not a student. I work for Mayor Wilkins, name's Faith," she replied. "The boss is a big fan, Prof."  
  
"Oh, Lester's fine," he replied uncertainly.  
  
"We alone here Lest?" Faith asked.  
  
"Life long bachelor."  
  
The beatuiful brunette grinned at him. "I can dig needing your own space, but how come some lucky lady hasn't snagged a hunk like you?"  
  
Lester reddened, he sensed the girl was teasing him but there was something off-putting about her that stopped him from reproaching her. "A hunk, me?"  
  
"Oh I bet you were a wild one back in the day," the raven-haired beauty's face turned serious as she laid a hand on his shoulder. Surprised by the gesture he stepped back. "Hate to break it to you bud, but the Mayor wants you dead."  
  
"Young lady, I don't think I app-," his voice trailed off when the teen pulled out an evil-looking knife. It wasn't a joke. "He . . . he . . . he wants me dead? Why?"  
  
The sultry teen looked down at her knife and threw it into the wall behind him.. "Don't worry I'm one of the good guys, working undercover," she reassured him. "I'm not going to hurt you. Something to do with a study you did in New Zealand back in '81. Remember that?"  
  
Lester tore his eyes away from the knife jutting out of his wall. Somehow he guessed his guest was as dangerous with or without her weapon. "Oh yes, I remember. I found a new species."  
  
Faith nodded. "Got the papers?"  
  
"Um yes,"  
  
"Get them."  
  
There was something unyielding in the girl's tone that compelled him to obey her. Within a few seconds she'd found them. "Here they are," his voice quavered and his hand trembled as he offered the papers to the brunette.  
  
Instead of taking them the teen looked behind him. "That a photocopier?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Photocopy them for me."  
  
He obeyed immediately, unnerved by the power he sensed in the intruder. Once he'd finished he handed the copies over to the girl. "What's this about? Are you going to kill me?"  
  
"It's complicated," the teen shook her head. "As to the killing thing, nah, like I said I'm a white hat. But I need to store you out of the way."  
  
"You can't just kidnap me!"  
  
"See here's the thing," the beautiful teen's eyes chilled, becoming chips of black ice. "If I leave you around I'm dead. And if I don't kill you the Mayor will only send one after you, someone real mean, not nice and cuddly like me."  
  
Worth swallowed. "Very well," he nodded reluctantly.  
  
The girl's face relaxed, breaking out into a beaming smile. "Smart guy," she praised before lifting the phone. "Now ring the dean's office and tell them you've been called away on a family emergency." The brunette's grin widened. "You're gonna love your new roomie."  
  
* * *  
  
"Yo Fang!"  
  
Angel came out of his bedroom to see Faith and a short, chubby man in his early-sixties stood in his lounge. "Faith," he nodded at the third Slayer. "Good shot with the bow by the way," he turned his gaze on the Bostonian's companion. "Who's he?"  
  
"Proffesor Worth, your house guest."  
  
"What!"  
  
"Wilkins wanted me to kill him, I have to make sure he's out of sight, you'll have to babysit."  
  
"Kill him, why?"  
  
"Last time a demon ascended," the man with Faith gasped. "It left behind a fossil," the Slayer reached into her jacket and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "Here's the report he made. We got a deal?"  
  
He nodded reluctantly. "Five by five, thanks Fang."  
  
Once the Bostonian had disappeared, the proffesor turned to him. "Uh, why did Faith call you Fang?"  
  
Angel forced back the urge to groan. He guessed the next couple of days were going to be long.  
  
* * *  
  
Faith dropped down into the chair opposite the Mayor. If he didn't accept her excuses.... "We've got a problem boss."  
  
The Mayor raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do tell."  
  
"I went round to Worth's apartment, nobody there. Went to the dean's office, turns out there's been some family shit going down. He phoned about his sis being ill or some shit."  
  
"How unfortunate," Wilkins commented.  
  
"Yeah," Faith nodded. "But," she reached into her jacket and pulled out the original papers. "I found these."  
  
The Mayor beamed. "Ah, splendid, such initative. That's the important thing."  
  
"Thanks boss," Faith sent out a silent thankful prayer.  
  
"Now, to deal with Mr. Harris."  
  
Faith hid a smile. "Tonight boss."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey Xman."  
  
Xander's heart stopped as Faith stepped out of the shadows, her slender hips swaying sensually as she stalked towards him. Suddenly, despite knowing the plan, the alley seemed a lot smaller. "F..Faith," his trembling voice wasn't a complete act. "The others aren't far behind," he warned.  
  
His friend's full lips parted in a crooked grin he knew so well. "Shame Xman," the brunette chuckled throatily. "I'd have liked to take my time with you." She raised an eyebrow, the signal that her attack was about to begin. "Stay back boys," she growled to the vampires behind her.  
  
Immediately he let out a shout. "Gu-ugh!" He grunted as the Slayer's heel slammed into his chest, the force of the blow managing to crack the kevlar vest he was wearing beneath his clothes in readiness for the attack and sending him crashing into some stuffed to capacity garbage bags. Before he had time to rise the raven-haired demon hunter drove the point of her boot into his groin. Even though the east coast native pulled her kick at the last moment and even though he was wearing a cup, the air exploded from his body, causing him to dry heave.  
  
"Sorry X," the Bostonian leaned over him, giving him a wonderful view down her black training top, not that he was in any condition to enjoy it. The brunette smashed a fist into his jaw, causing him to bite down on the food colouring capsule he'd put in his mouth spraying out a red mist.  
  
Suddenly there was a shout from one of the vampires. "Slayer! The other Slayers are here!"  
  
"Fuck!" his friend winked him before straigtening and giving him a light, but still painful, kick in the ribs. "Been fun Xman, see ya!"  
  
Once the Bostonian had disappeared into the night, Kendra eased him to his feet. "She didn't hurt you too much did she?" his girlfriend asked.  
  
"We have got to get some plan which don't involve me getting beaten up," he moaned as he looked at Buffy, Kendra, Giles and Wesley.  
  
"You think you've got problems," Kendra complained. "I'm going for a swim in half a hour." 


	22. 14D

Three Slayers 14d  
  
Faith gnawed anxiously on her bottom lip as she slouched on the couch of her dockside apartment and waited for the next, and riskiest, part of Xander's plan to come to fruition. Suddenly the apartment door crashed open to reveal her crazed-looking sister Slayer. "You hurt Xander," she growled  
  
Swallowing her nervousness, Faith leapt up and forced a cocksure grin. "Hey girlfriend," Faith winked. "I did you a favour, Xman's a zero. Babes like us need real men."  
  
Kendra sneered. "My Xman's worth any ten of your real men. And you're going to pay."  
  
Faith grinned, even though the fight was gonna be faked it was still enough to get the juices flowing and the blood pumping. "Let's see what you've got sis," she taunted.  
  
Immediately Kendra lunged forward, her right foot shooting upwards towards Faith's jaw. Instinctively she slid inside the blow, grabbed her opponent's foot by the ankle and threw her into the wall. Hearing the sound of running feet and sensing the approach of vampires, she let out a shout. "Any of you pricks come in here and I'll stake you myself!"  
  
Her warning delivered, she leapt towards her sister Slayer only to catch a shuddering uppercut to the gut. "Good punch sis," she complimented as she staggered away, ducking beneath a follow-up right, before bringing a knee up that her opponent blocked on her thigh. Grunting slightly with the effort, she landed a knife-edge chop to Kendra's neck, knocking the older girl off-balance.  
  
Instantly she followed up with a leg-sweep at her rival's feet that her fellow Slayer leapt over before delivering a flying crescent kick that connected with her jaw, knocking her on her sweet ass. "Fuck Ken," she rolled instantly to her feet and moved into a defensive stance. "You could give a girl the idea you didn't like her."  
  
"I don't."  
  
Faith raised an eyebrow. "That case," she charged forward. Her sister Slayer leapt to meet her only to sidestep at the last second and slam the point of her elbow into her skull. "Shit!" Faith stumbled away from a follow-up right, grabbed Kendra's wrist and yanked her towards her and into a clothesline to the throat, even as she swept Kendra's legs from beneath her.  
  
Kendra flew through the air to land with shattering force on her coffee table, breaking the table with her landing. Faith's eyes widened, she'd liked that table.. "Now that's just wasteful!" Conscious that she had to make it look good for the vampires straining to get in through the mystical barrier, she drove a foot into her sister's ribs, sending her crashing into the couch. Faith bounded towards her friend but before she could reach her, Kendra made her feet, her fist snapping out to crash into Faith's nose, shattering the bridge. Blood dripping down onto the carpet, and tears blurring her eyes, she stumbled backwards. Fuck, Kendra had taken her beating of Xander bad.  
  
Ignoring the braying of the vampires who wanted to see blood, anybody's, spilt, Faith moved into a spin kick that her sister ducked beneath before grabbing her by the ankle and flinging her into the wall. "Shit!" Rolling to her feet, she saw her friend charging towards her. Immediately Faith leapt into the air into a flying hook kick that caught Kendra in the back of the head and sent her crashing face-first into the wall.  
  
A snarl parting her lips, forgetting it was in fact an act, Faith leapt towards her friend only to catch a back-swung desk lamp in her face. Dazed by the impact of the lamp shattering against her jaw, she didn't see Kendra's foot until it exploded against her head.  
  
Before she had time to regain her balance, Kendra grabbed her by her shoulders and flung across the room and through the glass balcony doors. "Shit!" Glass exploded as she crashed shoulder-first on the concrete balcony floor. Seeing Kendra clambering through the shattered doorway, she shot out a foot, her heel smashing into the other Slayer's knee taking her sister face-down down to the ground.  
  
In an instance, she was on top of her sister, pinning her there with a stranglehold that if properly applied would render its victim unconscious in seconds but without pressure would merely restrain its victim. "It's been fun Ken," she whispered. "But I'm getting kinda pummelled here, so how about we go for the finale." Without waiting for an answer, she stood, dragging her friend's limp body with her before lifting Kendra above her head in an overhead press motion. With a growl of victory, she flung the body over the balcony wall. "God Ken," she whispered as the body dropped stone like into the ocean below. "I hope it works out."  
  
The instance Kendra's limp body broke through the ocean's blue-green surface; Buffy swam over to her and quickly fixed the spare oxygen canister and snorkel Angel had stolen from a local outdoors sport store the previous night. That accomplished, she hooked an arm around her battered fellow Slayer's waist and began swimming towards the congregation point where Giles and the others bar Angel would be waiting. Xander's plans, she shook her head, she was convinced it was just an excuse to see her and Kendra in wet clothes.  
  
"That was quite a fight at your place last night."  
  
"Yeah it was wasn't it," Faith drawled casually. "Gonna need the builders in." God, she hoped Kendra was five by five. They'd decided that now they had the information relating to the Mayor's ascension and her part in the plan to defeat him that for the sake of her safety she wouldn't contact the others until the ascension began. It made sense, but it also meant she wouldn't know if her sis was five by five for two days. Two fucking days, they'd be the longest of her life.  
  
"Why didn't you allow my other employees to help you?"  
  
"I might be working for you boss, but I'm still a Slayer, no way I was going to let those blood-suckers feed on her," Faith shrugged. "Besides I wanted to beat her woman on woman."  
  
"A sort of job pride."  
  
"Yeah," if he tried to hit her....  
  
Instead, the Mayor nodded. "I suppose I can understand that. Only Faith, yeah," he shook his head. "It's yes."  
  
"Look," Jonathan was getting desperate. He'd been trying for hours to convince the student body about what was happening at the graduation, but as usual as they were deriding him.  
  
"Hey listen you bunch of jack-asses," Jonathan winced at Cordelia's voice. Why bother with diplomacy when you had your own personal atom bomb in Cordelia Chase? "How many funerals have we all been to growing up? All the people we went to school with who one morning suddenly weren't there? I could list the names but that would take too long. We all know what goes on in this great town of ours," the brunette's voice was laced in sarcasm. "So are you all going to continue to bury your heads in the sand? Or are you going to fight back?"  
  
Jonathan blinked in surprise as the others fell silent, momentarily cowed by Cordelia's impassioned speech, but then Percy spoke up with a snigger. "And who's going to lead us, the nerd and the cheerleader? Great, the world is saved."  
  
"No, we are." Jonathan's heart leapt at Xander's voice and the appearance of his friend, Kendra, and Angel at the back of the sports hall. "And if you're not part of the solution, then get the hell out because then you're part of the problem." When no one moved or spoke, his friend nodded in satisfaction. "Good, now this is what's happening."  
  
"It's a delightful day isn't it?"  
  
"Great, boss. Nice and sunny," Faith replied dutifully. She'd changed into a black trouser suit that was loose fitting enough to allow her ease of movement, and had enough room to conceal her hunting knife and favourite two stakes. She was stood on the hastily built podium at the front of the sports field turned into graduation ceremony looked around the massed assembly, ignoring Willow's hate-filled glare. No Kendra , but then she wouldn't be here yet, she was part of the surprise attack. If they were still alive. "When does it start?"  
  
The Mayor's chest puffed out. "After my speech."  
  
Faith winced. Wicked, not only had she to fight for her life, she had to sit through another one of the pompous windbag's speeches first. "My life sucks."  
  
"What was that dear?"  
  
"Nothing boss."  
  
The moment the sky began to cloud over and Wilkins began morphing into his demonic self, Faith leapt out of her seat behind the still pontificating public servant and slammed her dagger deep into his side. "That's for the slap the other night you piece of shit," she whispered into the amazed politician's ear before leaping off the stage to stand beside her blonde counterpart. "Long time no see B," she glanced over her shoulder and grinned to see her Johnny throwing off his robes to lead the students, god she made him so proud. "Ken and Fang?"  
  
"They're ok-," the blonde grinned. "Five by five."  
  
"Wicked!" Faith's smirk faded as she turned to face the now fully changed Mayor. The Mayor was now a green-scaled snake, perhaps fifty feet in length. "He's awful -."  
  
"Big," the blonde beside her commented.  
  
"I was going for scary but whatever works," Faith agreed.  
  
"Want to do your thing?"  
  
"Not really no," Faith muttered before stepping forward. "Hey Wilkins ya prick!"  
  
As soon as Faith made her move Jonathan nodded to Cordelia beside him, instantly the cheerleader raised her megaphone, as if she needed one, and bellowed her order. "Retreat to the fall-back point!"  
  
As soon as the students began to retreat to the back of the field, they were confronted by scores of vampire. "Remember kill, don't feed!" exclaimed their leader, a tall, thin vampire in a power suit.  
  
"Actually," Xander proclaimed as he stepped out from behind the bushes to the left of the field, followed by Kendra and a score of weapon-wielding students, and Angel, Giles, and Wesley did the same with another couple of dozen students at the right of the field. "We'd prefer it if you did the dying," raising his pistol crossbow he shot the vamp leader, dropped his crossbow and drew his battle-ax. "At 'em!"  
  
Faith grinned as she heard Kendra shouting orders to her troops. Big sis was five by five. "See that," she thumbed over her shoulder. "Angel, Xander, and Kendra all alive. So's Worth by the way. Played you like a cheap violin you dump fuck!" The demon let out an enraged roar. "Think he's pissed yet B?"  
  
"Oh yeah! Run!"  
  
"Good idea!" Heart thundering, Faith hurried inside the school, her long strides eating up the ground as she ran beside her blond counterpart. "So B," she panted as she ran around a corridor corner. "How ya been? Angel working on that sun-cream thing?"  
  
"Just keep running!"  
  
Gee, Faith mused, B was a lousy conversationalist. Although it was hard to talk when running for your life from a snarling, noxious-breathing demon. Spinning round a corner, her foot caught on a wet patch. "Shit!" Her balance gone, she plunged headfirst into a locker before plummeting to the ground. The wind knocked out of her and her head reeling from the collision with the dented locker she could do nothing but look up at the huge snakehead swaying above her. She was fucked.  
  
"Keep up!" Suddenly a strong hand was pulling her to her feet.  
  
"Thanks B!" forcing herself to focus she started to run.  
  
"Don't mention it! Next corner!"  
  
Faith nodded in understanding. "Five by five!" She just hoped they had enough time to get clear, Wilkins seemed awful close. As she swung round the next bend, Faith leapt into the air, clearing the four-foot high tripwire by some margin. Upon landing, she didn't look back but kept running.  
  
Suddenly she heard the boss' voice. "Well gosh!"  
  
The hall shook and rumbled as the Mayor set off the tripwire set to the thirty claymores Xander and Kendra had stolen from the army base and hidden into the lockers fixed to the tripwire, bringing masonry tumbling down onto the smouldering demon even as she and B leapt through the window at the end of the corridor. "Hey B!" she yelled "I wonder how many kids get to blow up their schools at graduation?"  
  
Buffy looked over her shoulder at the raging inferno behind them before grinning. "Beats just burning your books," she agreed.  
  
Kendra exchanged a worried glance with Faith. Three hours ago, as soon as nightfall had descended, Buffy, Angel, Willow, and Wesley had left for LA. When they'd left for patrol, Giles had looked maudlin but okay, but now he was sat on the sofa cradling a framed photograph of Buffy in his hands. "Ask him," she muttered.  
  
Her sister Slayer elbowed her in her ribs. "Your idea. You ask him."  
  
"Fine," she muttered through gritted teeth. "I'll do it." They'd asked Xander to stay over at Jonathan's tonight so they could ask Giles something, something very important.  
  
At her nervous cough the Watcher looked up, his smile weary and his eyes watery. "Any trouble on patrol?"  
  
"Nothing Mr. Giles, the Mayor's demise appears to have left the Hellmouth's resident demons in disarray," she replied.  
  
"What she said," Faith echoed.  
  
Kendra rolled her eyes. "You want me to do this or not?" she muttered.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Giles, Faith and I were thinking. She never knew who her father was, and my father gave me up to the Council. We were wondering if," she paused at the Watcher's bewildered expression only to continue at Faith's encouraging whisper. "If we could change our surnames by deed poll to Giles." Seeing the Watcher's mouth begin to open, she hurried on, her words becoming a babble. "In the one year we've known you you've been more of a father and this has been more of a home than either of us have ever had before."  
  
"What you think G?" Faith broke in anxiously.  
  
The Englishman wiped furtively at his eyes before beaming and nodding. "I'd like that, I'd like that a lot."  
  
The END  
  
Tbc in 'Two Slayers', featuring:-  
  
The debut of Tara, and Riley Finn. Anyanka and a new, improved Wishverse. The return of the Council and Harmony Kendall. And much, much more! 


End file.
